In The Devil's Lair
by Northern-Southern Belle
Summary: Victoria struggles with living in Kai's other-dimensional home, eventually discovering that it isn't so bad when she gives him a chance. Meanwhile, Klaus and Kol are full of rage about the kidnapping and try to concoct a plan to rescue Victoria, even though they have no way to get to her. Crossover with The Father, The Daughter, and the Bride.
1. In The Cell

Disclaimer: Only plot and original characters belong to me!

 _When we last saw Kai and Victoria: "You're so kind, Vicky," Kai told her._

" _Shut up," Victoria replied. "Don't speak to me." She took him inside the house and told him to stay put while she figured out what to do with him._

 _Soon, he heard the sirens of approaching Council cars which meant he had very little time to do what he was going to do if he didn't want to be dragged back to prison again. He did the spell to open up the portal to his home away from home, grabbed Victoria, who came to tell him what she had in mind to do with him, and pulled them both through. By the time Sean, Eva, and James got inside the house, the portal was gone, and all James could tell Regina and Declan was that they would do their best to try and get Victoria home, no matter how long it took._

 _And now, on In the Devil's Lair…_

"I've never seen someone land so gracefully before," Kai remarked playfully as Victoria landed face down on the living room floor of his other dimensional home.

"Oh, shut up!" Victoria shouted, getting to her feet, her dark eyes flashing as her brown hair flew in her face. "I broke a nail, I hope you're happy!" She looked around, the volume of her voice increasing with every word she spoke as she stomped around. "Where the fuck am I? Where did you take me? You know this is kidnapping, right?" She growled, trying not to let the thoughts of the last time he'd touched her flow through her mind. But she failed.

 _As Victoria slipped away from the pre-wedding conversation, a man dressed in all black (including his mask) strode purposefully toward her, slipped off one of his black leather gloves and wrapped his other hand around her waist so that her back was against his front as his bare hand went up her leg and thigh and he nibbled on her ear. She breathed in quickly and whispered, "Who in the hell are you?"_

" _I think you know," he whispered. "You don't really want to be here, do you?"_

" _Yes," Victoria breathed as he blew in her ear. She shook her head, gasped, and squirmed. "No," she said. "No, I don't."_

 _He then turned her around, pulled her to him, and they began kissing as he slowly unzipped her red dress._

" _No," she breathed as she pulled away. "Not here."_

 _So he pulled her into a corner and muttered something under his breath before he removed his mask._

" _Kai," Victoria breathed before slapping him "How could you come here? I told you not to!"_

" _Well, you can tell me whatever you want, but that doesn't mean I'll listen," Kai replied. "And you were enjoying yourself just now, Vicky. Admit it."_

Thinking about what Kai had put her through at the wedding, how he'd manipulated her feelings and caused her to kiss him and bare her soul when he was really nothing but a heartless bastard…it really made her skin crawl.

"I hate you!" She screamed at Kai. "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!"

But Kai just laughed. "You're so cute when you're agitated. What happens next? Are you gonna slap me or punch me in the face?"

Victoria strode up to him, her dark eyes flashing, her hand balled into a fist. "You don't realize how much I would _love_ to slap you or punch you or break your neck right now, but I can't, and do you know why?"

"Because you love me too much?" Kai guessed.

"No!" Victoria cried and stomped on his foot. "I won't do it because you'll mistake that for foreplay and you've already fucked me over enough today. Just tell me where we are, please?"

"This is my home," Kai gestured grandly. "I hope you like it."

"No, I don't!" Victoria shouted again. "I don't want to be here, especially if I have to stare at you all the time!"

"I don't understand," Kai replied, sobering a little. "We had so much fun when you visited me in prison. Why is it different now?"

"Cause I chose to visit you in prison," Victoria reminded him. "I didn't choose to come here. Now I'm stuck here and I don't even get to leave!"

Sensing he'd erred in some way, Kai reached out to embrace her, but she rejected it, figuring it was some attempt to feel her up. She blew a raspberry at him and stomped off then in search of a bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her just in time for the figure of Edele to make her daily visit and this time, Kai was so angry that instead of just punching her and swearing, he broke her neck and tossed her into the street before slamming the door closed and making himself dinner that he would most likely be eating alone.

Victoria was alone in her room when she began to smell something wonderful wafting through the door. Then her stomach growled. She moaned and then got out of bed, creeping out of her room and following the smell to the kitchen, where she saw Kai sitting at the kitchen table with some lasagna in front of him on a plate.

"That looks really good," she said.

"Oh, yeah," Kai nodded and put down his fork. "It's-it's really good stuff."

"I'm sure it is," Victoria said and sat down. "Would you mind if I-I ate with you?"

"Sure," Kai said in surprise. "If you want to, that is. I'll get another plate." He put some lasagna on a plate and placed it in front of Victoria. "There you go," he said. "You want something to drink?"

"What do you have around?" Victoria asked.

"Alcohol," Kai replied. "If you want to zap up milk or juice or something, you can zap it up. I probably should have some in the house anyway."

"All right," Victoria replied and filled the fridge with groceries when it had previously been practically bare. "There you go," she said. "Since I assume I'm gonna be here a while, I think we should both be able to eat well."

"Stop acting like it's some prison sentence," Kai told her impatiently. "It won't be so bad. There'll be benefits."

"Oh?" Victoria asked. "Like what?"

"Well, finish eating your food and I'll show you," Kai replied.

Victoria took a few bites and then realized what he was talking about so she lost her appetite and zapped the plate away.

"All right," she said. "Let's just get it over with. Go ahead and do what you need to do."

"Fine, I will," Kai replied. "And it'll wipe that frown off your face for sure."

"Oh, I doubt it!" Victoria said as he pulled her to him. "But you can just try!"

So he picked her up, and carried her to his bedroom where he kissed her soundly before unzipping her dress and watching it fall to her feet before he kicked it away.

Victoria then slapped him.

"What was _that_ for?" He asked.

"I'm mad that I liked it when you were kissing me!" Victoria replied. "Damn it, I'm trying to stay mad at you and your kissing makes it very difficult!" She punched him again and pulled at his clothes, ripping off his shirt as he pulled her to him and let her unzip him before he placed her on the mattress, his lips crashing against hers as she pulled at his hair. Panting, they paused to stare at one another.

"We can't stop now, can we?" Kai asked. "Please tell me we won't stop now even though you don't want to do this."

"Oh, I want to do this," Victoria replied and removed her bra and panties before he took her in his arms again and slipped inside her. "I might not want to admit it to myself, but that doesn't mean I don't want to do it."

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the real world, James and Lenora were trying to assure Declan and Regina who, to their confusion, didn't seem very concerned at all.

"I think it's Kai who'll get it worse in the end," Declan told them. "He decided to take quite a girl with him. I give it a week before he's begging us to take her back."

"If you want to comfort someone," Regina added to James, "Go see my father and my uncle. We're fine. _They're_ the ones who are more freaked out about Victoria's kidnapping. Trust me."


	2. Total Hell

"So what you're telling me is that Regina has no concern for Victoria at all, even though she's been kidnapped?" Klaus asked Kol in shock. "What kind of child did you raise?"

"Hey!" Margot cried indignantly. "We did a damn good job raising her, all right? And I bet the reason why she's not concerned is because right now, there's nothing to worry about."

" _How_ could there not be anything to worry about?" Klaus asked. "We have no idea where she is, we don't know if she's hurt…we can't just sit here on our asses! We have to _do_ something!"

"Okay fine, Klaus, let's do something," Margot said, getting nose to nose with her brother in law. "Where do we even go to find her? Do you know?"

"I don't," Klaus shook his head, but still looked at Margot self-righteously. "But I bet I could figure it out if I wanted to."

"Yeah, good luck," Margot replied. "Regina's already called and said that Astrid and everyone are working on it, but it will take some time nonetheless. If they can't find her, what makes you think _you_ can?"

"And what makes _you_ feel like you don't need to worry about Victoria?" Klaus asked. "Tell me that."

"Cause she _knows_ the guy who kidnapped her," Margot explained patiently. "He's the guy whose cell she visited every day for work. If he was just some random weirdo that decided to kidnap her, it would be one thing, but he's not. He's a weirdo who is _known to us_ that decided to kidnap her, and someone who she's clearly shown she can hold her own against. So while we all appreciate that you're concerned, why don't you step back a little, take a deep breath, and find something else to focus on. Like my sister's care for instance."

"She's not living with me," Klaus told Margot. "She decided that since I'm with Renee now, she'd be more comfortable staying with Aaron and Rosalie."

"Could you maybe _stop_ being with Renee?" Margot asked him irritably. "I'm sure she wouldn't mind. How deep can your relationship possibly be compared to what you had with Amy?"

"I love your sister," Klaus told Margot patiently. "And I would really like to be around her right now, but I just…we're going through a difficult period and I want her to be the one who decides to start things up with us again. I don't want to just show up at her house and force things on her, especially in the state she's in."

"Well, that's very generous of you, I guess," Margot told him. She then went to call Amy and see if she was doing all right.

"Mom, it's Aunt Margot," Rosalie told her blood-swilling mother as she held the phone out to her. "You think you can talk now?"

"Sure I can," Amy nodded, putting the blood bag down and wiping a few drops off her chin. The transformation, while still something to get used to, was much easier this time around than the first time she'd turned, probably because she knew what to expect. She took the phone from Rosalie and addressed her sister. "Hey, Margot. What's going on?"

"I just wanted to know if you were okay," Margot replied. "I told Klaus to get his butt over to your house to take care of you, but he said you and he already had some sort of arrangement going on about that."

"Yeah," Amy nodded. "He's dating another woman and it's not like I haven't been through this before. I don't need him to be holding my hand the whole time. And Rosalie and Aaron are watching me, so it's not like I'm dealing with this alone."

"Well that's good," Margot told her. "As long as it's working out, I'll stay out of the way. But if you need anything, just let me know, all right?"

"All right," Amy replied. "Thank you, Margot."

"You're welcome," Margot replied. "Klaus is here right now. Do you want to talk to him?"

"I don't know what I would say," Amy replied. "He knows I'm doing all right cause Rosalie tells him, and I can't think of anything else that would be of interest to him."

"All right," Margot nodded. "Goodbye, Amy."

"Bye," Amy replied.

She ended the call and looked apologetically at Klaus. "I tried to get Amy to talk to you, but she said she didn't have anything to say."

"Well, I don't see why she would as of now, other than letting me know she's all right," Klaus said.

"You think you two will ever actually get back together?" Margot asked.

"I would like it," Klaus replied. "But at this point, it's really up to her, so who knows? That's why I have to keep myself occupied with this Victoria thing so I don't mope about your sister."

"All right," Margot replied and put a hand on his shoulder. "Good luck with that." She looked at Kol. "You wanna go hunting?"

"Yeah," Kol replied as he stared at his brother before going to take Margot's hand. "It's getting boring around here, so…I really think I do."

* * *

"I probably already know the answer to this, and _please_ don't take this as a slight against your hospitality," Victoria said to Kai as she explored his house and noticed it was missing one vital piece of equipment. "But…is there any way to communicate with the outside world?"

"I didn't make one, because I like my peace and quiet," Kai shook his head. "But I suppose you could bring in a phone if you wanted. That's the glory of a place like this. You can make it whatever you want."

"Can I?" Victoria asked, suddenly less concerned about being able to call home. "So if I wanted to, I could…" she shut her eyes and suddenly the living room walls were pink. And there was a poodle on the sofa. And a really ugly cuckoo clock on the wall that was cuckooing without stopping.

"No, no, no!" Kai replied, his hands over his ears and his eyes shut tight to block all the noise out. "Get rid of it! My house isn't supposed to look like this!"

"Well, you should have thought about that before you kidnapped me and brought me here," Victoria replied. "If I'm gonna live here, I get to do stuff to the house too. End of story."

"All right, fine," Kai agreed. "Do whatever you want…except painting things pink and bringing in dogs and really annoying cuckoo clocks."

"That wasn't gonna be the aesthetic I brought in," Victoria assured him. "I just wanted to show you that I wasn't to be messed with."

"All right, you did it!" Kai snapped back. "Are you happy now?"

"Yeah," Victoria replied smugly. "I suppose I am for now."

To try and calm himself down, Kai zapped up some cookies and refused to share them with her, even when she asked nicely, cramming them all into his mouth at once. That caused him to choke, and then Victoria gave him the Heimlich maneuver.

"Where the hell would you be without me?" She asked with a roll of her eyes. "Is that one of my roles here along with being your mother figure/sex slave? Don't think I don't know about that part of your plot."

"You're making assumptions," Kai replied tersely. "I don't think I like that."

"Of course you don't!" Victoria said back. "But you really _are_ easier to read then a pop-up book."

* * *

Feeling very stung by Victoria's remarks, Kai did all he could to prove her wrong. But when he saw her dusting and noticed that her butt was wiggling a bit as she did a little dance to entertain herself, his bad side took over and he zapped her into a tight little French maid outfit.

"Hey!" She shouted as she turned around and dropped the feather duster. "What the hell is this?"

Kai shrugged. "I just…I saw what you were doing and thought you needed to wear the uniform." He grinned. "Wanna sit on my lap?"

"No, I don't!" Victoria shook his head and gave him a slap before changing back into her normal clothes. "You disgust me sometimes, you know that? What is this mindset you have where you think you can just take whatever you want and not give a shit about other people?"

"Well, you _are_ in my house," Kai reminded her.

"And it wasn't my choice!" Victoria reminded him. "You dragged me here against my will and now I'm trapped. You're just a horrible, horrible person and if you keep acting like this, I'm gonna call James and have him drag you back to prison!" She stomped off to her room and slammed the door shut behind her, leaving Kai frozen on the spot, his fists clenched and his eyes shut tight as he ran to his room just like Victoria had, trying to shut the door on the thoughts that were coming.

But they came anyway, visions of his mother repeating Victoria's words again and again. _"You're a horrible person. You don't deserve to live. I'm sorry you were ever born…"_ He threw himself down on his mattress and tried not to cry, but it was hard, especially as the voices got louder and louder.

Finally, somehow, they stopped and Kai sat up to find Victoria frowning at him from the doorway. "What's with all the noise in here?" She asked. "I'm trying to take a nap."

"Sorry," Kai apologized. "I'll try and be quieter."

"Wait a minute," Victoria said as she advanced into the room. "Are you _crying_?"

"No," Kai said. "No, I'm not. What would make you say that?"

"I can see the tears," Victoria replied. "If what I said made you cry, I'm sorry."

"No, it wasn't you," Kai shook his head. "It's not your fault. You're right, I guess. You are, and so was my mother when she would say the same kind of stuff to me."

"Your _mo_ m said that to you?" Victoria asked, feeling positively dumbstruck. "When I said it, I didn't mean it. I was just angry."

"Yes, well, my mother _did_ mean it," Kai replied.

"I'm sorry," Victoria told him and gave him a hug. "Not that that means I'll put that maid uniform on, but…"

"No need," Kai replied as he squeezed her tight. "At least not now, anyway. I like this much better."

When they pulled apart, she said, "I'm gonna go see if I can call my mom now. Are you gonna be okay?"

"Yeah," Kai nodded. "I think I will. You go ahead." He lay back on his bed as she went to make the call and thought to himself how close he'd come to ruining things and how damn lucky he was that Victoria had such a sympathetic nature.


	3. Keeping Things Buried

"You have quite the arm," Kai remarked as he came out of the bathroom just in time to see Victoria give the figure of his mother the punch in the face that he usually reserved for himself. "I might not even need to see you in the maid uniform after that." He grabbed Victoria, dipped her, and gave her a kiss.

"Sorry," she said when he let her go. "Is punching her usually _your_ thing? I know I probably should have waited and let you do it, but after you told me what she said to you, I just couldn't restrain myself."

"Oh, it's fine," Kai told her. "She comes around more than once a day. I'll get my chance. But really, now that you're here, there are better ways for me to spend my time."

"Well, I should hope so," Victoria said. "Cause I'm not gonna be happy spending all my time alone, you know."

Kai nodded. "I was thinking the exact same thing."

He leaned in to kiss her and after she let him have a quick kiss, she said, "I think we need to discuss what I'm going to be doing here. What my purpose is."

"What's to discuss?" Kai asked. "We know what your purpose is."

"Yeah, but I really think I can do better," Victoria replied. "What you want me to do really isn't gonna help you in the long run. I have a better idea."

"Well, I don't want to hear it," Kai replied.

Victoria ignored this and began explaining. "The reason why my aunt Amy met my uncle Klaus was cause he'd made a mess out of his whole life and Astrid thought that she would do a good job helping her to fix it. I want to do the same thing for you."

"Oh?" Kai asked, looking intrigued. "And just what does that mean, exactly? I have to decide what kind of trouble I'm going to cause in protest."

"Come on," Victoria said. "Do you really wanna be this lonely and deranged your whole life?"

"Yes," Kai nodded. "It's what I know and it's what I'm good at. I see no reason to change."

"Well, I think a little change would do you good," Victoria told him. "Don't worry. We'll start easy. Tell me about your mother."

"No," Kai said flatly. "I thought you said we were starting _easy_."

"What's so hard about talking about your mother?" Victoria asked. "I mean, I know she was a problem, but won't it feel good to get all of that anger about her off your chest?"

"Were your parents ever cruel to you?" Kai asked.

"No," Victoria shook her head. "My parents love me very much."

"Well, then you can't possibly begin to understand what I feel about my mother, and it's none of your damn business. Just keep your nose out of where it doesn't belong." Kai turned away from her then and refused to say another word.

But Victoria didn't give up. She reached out and ran a gentle hand down his back. "It was that bad, huh? I'm sorry."

"I don't think you are," Kai replied. "No one ever has been."

"She seems like a horrible mother," Victoria continued. "I wouldn't have punched her in the face if she was nice."

"You're not gonna shut up about this until I tell you something are you?" Kai asked.

"No, I'm not," Victoria shook her head. "It doesn't have to be a lot. Just say something small."

"No," Kai shook his head. He really didn't want to discuss it. Finally, she 'd pestered so much that he lost his temper and in a fit of blind rage, broke her neck and let her body fall to the floor.

Then, he turned and stared at her still body, getting down on his knees next to it and then leaning down to gently kiss her lips, before picking up her body and wondering what the hell to do with it. He finally decided to just bury her, not realizing that she would come back. It was as he was shoveling dirt on top of her that she woke up and began coughing.

"Stop!" She cried, sitting up, her dark hair full of dirt, coughing and sputtering and trying to blow it out of her nose while Kai dropped the shovel in shock. "Stop burying me. I'm not dead, damn it! Lucky for you, you can pull shit like that all the time and it won't really do a damn thing to me except temporarily. If you were in my place, you wouldn't be so lucky." She narrowed her eyes at him and barked, "Well don't just stand there with your mouth open like an idiot! Get me out of here so I can shower!"

Kai stared for a little while longer and then pulled her out of the grave. She could have easily gotten out herself, but since this was his fault, she wanted him to deal with it. He brought her inside, still muttering to himself, and when he planted her feet on the ground, she gave him a good, hard slap before going to shower, and when she was done, she went to see him in her bathrobe and said, "Okay, now you owe me big time. Start talking about your mother. Please."

"She was the only one who raised me, for lack of a better description," Kai said, only reluctantly. "She went into having children with the idea that she wanted a daughter. And she thought that would be assured for her because boys are less common than girls are with magic genetics, and then when she found out she was pregnant, she killed my father so she could raise the baby alone without any outside influence."

"She killed your _father?"_ Victoria asked in amazement. "That…that's so cold!"

"That's my mother," Kai said with a shrug and no hint of emotion. "But when she found out I was a boy, her mood changed. She sent me away so she wouldn't have to deal with me anymore, and on the rare occasions that I _did_ see her, especially after I started learning magic, I'd try and show her what I'd learned. She was never impressed. And I thought it was because I wasn't powerful enough for her, so…"

"That's why you started stealing magic?" Victoria asked. "To impress your mother?"

"Yeah," Kai nodded. "Story time is over today. Go do something else, would you? Unless you'd like to meet me in the bedroom for a little alone time, that is."

"No, not right now," Victoria shook her head. "Not yet." She didn't refuse him out of malice, but because she was so shocked by what he'd told her that she didn't feel she could muster up any sort of seductive feeling. "Not now, but maybe later, okay?"

"Sure," Kai nodded. "Whatever." He didn't seem to believe her, and she didn't blame him. She then went to her room, sat on her bed, and tried to think about what to do next.

It was clear that Kai was bogged down with a lot of hurt and neglect and while she felt that what he wanted from her would help, it was just putting a band-aid over a bigger problem. She needed to help him refocus. Put his mind on more positive things. Sure, it would take some time, probably years and years of her life. But since she was stuck here, what else did she have to do, really?

"Well, look who's here," Kai said when he opened the door and invited her into his room. "I really thought you weren't coming."

"Of course I'm coming," she said. "I told you I would, wouldn't I? But I really think that we need to do more than just have sex if we're gonna live here together."

"Oh?" Kai asked, looking intrigued. "What else are you thinking?"

"I'll show you tomorrow," Victoria smiled. Then she kissed him and they both stripped down, falling onto the mattress and caressing each other's bodies, kissing one another and biting each other's lips while slowly licking the blood away.

After running his hand down her stomach, Kai zapped up a pair of cuffs and cuffed Victoria to the bed before getting up and heading to the door. What are you doing?" Victoria called after him.

"Oh, you'll see," Kai remarked. "Early payback for whatever you're planning on doing with me tomorrow."

Victoria shut her eyes and took a few deep breaths. Not that she was scared of what he was about to do. Whatever he could do she could handle, especially after being buried alive. She waited and when he brought a shiny penknife into the room, she said, "What's that for?"

"Oh, you'll see," Kai replied. He started to make little shallow cuts on her stomach and then, when it stopped, Victoria said, "What have you done? I can't see. I would have loved to do that to you, but we both know how fragile you are. I carve you up like this, and you'll be out of commission for _days."_

"No, I wouldn't," Kai replied. "I didn't cut you that deeply." He uncuffed her, and she sat up to have a look at what he'd done. When she saw, she groaned at him. "You seriously carved your name into my stomach?" She asked.

"Well, yeah, cause you're mine now," Kai replied. "I don't see what you're so upset about. It's gonna go away."

"And you're damn lucky that it will," Victoria replied, getting out of bed despite the cuts in her stomach and walking over to grab a belt. She approached the bed and whacked the belt against her hand a couple of times before hitting him with it. "Otherwise someone _else_ would be buried in the backyard and I might not be so inclined to let you out."

Kai laughed. "Go ahead," he told her, trying not to wince as she hit him again. "It might be fun. Who knows?"

* * *

"Daddy, how many times do I have to tell you about the whole 'not running in at full speed to save Victoria' thing?" Regina said to Kol. "She's fine. I got a call from her the other day."

"You did?" Kol asked. "Where the hell is she? I wanna know so I can go punch that idiot that kidnapped her in the face."

"No," Regina shook her head. "You won't do that. It won't do any good."

"I've tried to explain that to him over and over," Margot said wearily. "I thought that without your uncle around, he'd be more sensible, but apparently not."

"If you think I'm going to be sensible, you obviously haven't been paying attention to me at all for all the years we've been married," Kol replied. "Shame on you, darling."

"Yes, of course," Margot said and rolled her eyes. "My behavior is the shameful behavior. That makes sense."

"So where is she?" Kol asked Regina. "At least let me know."

"Apparently, her kidnapper has a hideaway in another dimension," Regina said. "And that's where she is."

"So just driving there isn't an option?" Kol asked.

"No," Regina shook her head. "I'm afraid not."

"So how will we get to her?" Kol asked.

"I don't know if we can," Margot replied. "People who make hideaways like that are usually the only ones who can enter them, along with anyone else they bring along."

'Usually the only ones who can enter them'?" Kol asked. "So…there's a way for us to get to her, we just have to think hard?"

"Or we could ask Astrid," Margot said. "She might know. We'll have to see."

"Yes," Kol nodded and went to call Klaus and tell him the new plan. "We definitely will."


	4. Always Keeping Busy

"Good morning!" Victoria cried, bursting into Kai's room at eight in the morning and blowing an air horn. "Time to get off your ass and come eat. We have lots of things to do today."

"Like what?" Kai muttered, refusing to get up. "It's too early. All of it can wait until noon."

"No, it can't!" Victoria shook her head, made him levitate off the mattress with her magic, and then drop hard on the floor. "Now come on. Get moving."

"What did I ever do to deserve such treatment?" Kai asked, giving her a dirty look.

"You murdered me and tried to bury me in your backyard!" Victoria replied. "That's what you did."

"But I said I was sorry," Kai replied. "Can we just forget about that now?"

"No," Victoria shook her head. "Did you honestly think I would forgive you so easily after that? If you did, you're a complete idiot. Oh, and I don't remember you apologizing for killing me _at all._ "

"Well, okay," Kai huffed and reluctantly got out of bed before striding over to her. "I'm sorry I killed you," he said, his voice flat.

"I doubt you are," Victoria replied and looked away. "But if that's the best apology I'm gonna get then I'll take it."

He smirked at her. "Why are you looking away from me?"

"Well, I didn't know you slept naked," Victoria said. "When I first brought you upward you were covered by the blanket. And usually when I see you in the morning, you're wearing boxer shorts."

"Now you know," Kai replied and stepped toward her, holding on to her as he nibbled at her ear. "Does it make you feel differently about joining me in bed at night?"

"Maybe," Victoria replied, trying to maintain an aloof demeanor so he wouldn't see how much he was actually affecting her. "Now get dressed. We have stuff to do today."

"What kind of stuff?" Kai asked. "I'm not dressing until you tell me what horrors I'm going to be subjected to today. And I'm not interested in reforming if that's what you've got your mind on. If that's what you're thinking, you can just think of something else."

"I admit I thought about that," Victoria told him. "But then I realized that trying that would be pointless, plus you wouldn't be so much fun afterward. So what I'm doing instead is trying to find activities for you to do that will make you look at things in a more positive way. Like gardening, or cooking, or even getting a pet."

"That's it?" Kai asked, looking _very_ underwhelmed but putting on a pair of black boxers anyway. "You _know_ what makes _me_ happy, so why can't you just do _that_?"

"Cause it's not really a long term solution now, is it?" Victoria replied. "I can feed you or have sex with you all I want, but it doesn't really change anything. I just have to do it again later. And again, and again, and again."

"Yeah, and what's the problem with that?" Kai wanted to know. "I don't see why this bothers you. What part of this is beyond your understanding?"

"The part where you insist on being miserable and mopey and having no motivation to improve yourself!" Victoria cried. "It drives me _crazy!"_

"Well, it's not gonna change, sweetheart," Kai told her as he grabbed her and looked into her eyes. "So either get used to that and enjoy yourself, or make yourself miserable, I don't care. Either way, you're not going anywhere." He patted her a couple of times on the bottom and gave her a push toward his bedroom door.

"All right, I get it," Victoria nodded. She threw a shirt at him and left the room, and several minutes later, Kai could smell bacon cooking. He put the shirt and pants on and ran into the kitchen.

"Bacon!" He cried. "Can I have some?"

"No," Victoria shook her head. "I'm afraid this is all for me. If you would have come in to help me, then you could have had some, but I see no reason why I should just give away something I'm working so hard to make to someone who's too lazy and stubborn to feed himself."

Kai's jaw dropped a little. "Now just a minute," he said. "You neglected to mention this to me. If you had said something, I would have helped."

"Okay," Victoria nodded. "Will you help me with lunch?"

"Will I not get to eat it if I don't?" Kai asked.

"Yes," Victoria nodded. "Now you're getting how to play the game."

"Okay," Kai replied. "I'll help you with lunch."

"Wonderful!" Victoria smiled.

Then she slipped him a couple pieces bacon. He ate them and then after he swallowed, he said to her, "I think you're a big softie. You just can't stay mad at me for long, can you?"

"I choose not to because I know it won't accomplish anything," Victoria responded. Then she stood up. "So…how do you want to occupy your time now? It has to be a way that's meaningful."

"Says you," Kai replied and turned on the TV.

"Do you really want to risk forgoing doing something with me and missing out on whatever it is?" Victoria asked. " _Do_ you?"

"All right," Kai said at last. "It's a nice day. Let's play a game in the yard."

"What a wonderful suggestion!" Victoria exclaimed. "What game do you want to play? You can pick."

"Well," Kai magicked a gun into his hand. "How about cops and robbers?"

"I don't know how we would do that exactly, but okay," Victoria shrugged. Anything to encourage his positive involvement in what she was doing.

But unfortunately (and she should have seen this coming), the game of cops and robbers was short. Once he had her subdued and tied up, he carried her into the house and sat her down in a chair, and after gagging her, turned the TV on.

"There," he said, stretching out on the sofa like a cat. "Now I can watch my TV shows in peace."

But his vengeance was short-lived. After his show was over, Victoria made him help her fix lunch and then, after they ate, she made him help her plant a garden.

"What's this supposed to help me achieve?" Kai huffed as he wiped the sweat off his brow.

"It's supposed to make you feel a sense of accomplishment and self-worth," Victoria replied. "Plus, it will help you put your amazing shoveling skills to use on something other than my body."

"Let that go," Kai said between his teeth. "I said I was sorry already. How much longer are you going to hang that over my head?"

"Probably forever," Victoria told him. "It was _murder_ for fuck's sake. Not a play day at the beach."

Kai then threw a clod of dirt at her face.

"Seriously?" Victoria asked. "You really wanna play that game?"

"Yes," Kai nodded. "I do."

"Fine," Victoria replied. "Cause I can play too." Then, without fully thinking of the consequences of her actions, she made a hose appear and sprayed him with it. When she put the hose down, he was approaching her, soaking wet and shirtless.

"Do you think that was really a good idea?" He asked her and pulled her to him to give her a kiss.

"No," Victoria shook her head. "I-I really didn't think that through. I'm gonna go inside now and think of something else for us to do."

"All right," Kai winked. "I can't _wait_ to see what it is."

* * *

By nightfall, Victoria was still running after him continuing on her heedless quest to make him find more wholesome ways to spend his time (he'd already coped with it all day; wasn't she done by now?) And Kai had reached the end of his rope. He managed to shut himself in his room and climb into bed again as he waited for her knock and yell more.

But to his surprise, he didn't hear anything. At least not right away. Several minutes later, there _was_ a knock at the door, however. "Go away!" He cried. "You try and make me do one more thing and I really _am_ gonna kill you again, Victoria!"

"I'm sorry, _monsieur_ ," said a muted voice from the other side of the door. "But I am needing your laundry now, _s'il vous plait._ For cleaning."

"What?" Kai asked himself as he got out of bed. " _Monsieur_? Why the hell is she talking like that?" He opened the door and he perked up as he saw Victoria standing at the door in the maid uniform.

"How long do I have to wait?" She asked in a bossy tone and tickled his face with a feather duster as he pulled her inside with a chuckle. She put the feather duster down on the bed and then ripped off his shirt before kissing him. "Your clothes. _Now_."

Kai smiled deeper. "What happens if I don't want to take them off?" He asked. "It's much more fun to have you do it."

Victoria heaved an exaggerated sigh and clicked her tongue. "I knew you were going to say that," she told him, getting down on her knees and unbuttoning and unzipping his jeans. "You're a very bad boy."

"Yep, I am," Kai smirked and shut his eyes as she cuffed him and began to touch him.

"I fail to see how _I'm_ the naughty one when you're doing all this," he said. Then she gave him a slap and said firmly, "No talking, do you understand? I'll tell you when you can speak! Now I want you to nod and say 'Yes, ma'am'."

"Yes, ma'am," Kai repeated obediently, even though his eyes were bright with laughter.

"Good boy," Victoria said and proceeded to touch him some more, before scratching his torso with her sharp red nails and licking up the blood that welled up from the cuts. "Does that hurt?" She asked.

"No, ma'am," Kai shook his head.

She then cuffed him to the bed and began whipping him. "You must be really mad at me for hurting you so much," she said after the first crack of the whip. "I wonder what you'll do to me once I let you out of these cuffs?"

Kai turned his head. "Are you scared of the prospect? You should be?"

"Oh, I can't wait," Victoria smiled. She let him out of the cuffs after two more cracks of the whip and then he grabbed her and pushed her to the ground, breathing heavily as he pushed up the skirt of the maid uniform, slipped off her panties, and captured her mouth with his.

"I'm gonna make you sorry, Vicky" he said. "I'm gonna do such awful things to you that you'll be begging me to stop."

"Go ahead, Malachai," Victoria told him with challenge in her eyes that aroused him even more. "Do your worst. I can take it."

"I know," Kai replied as he spread her legs and massaged her inner thighs, and then slid upward into her core. "That's the best part." Then he laughed as she let gasp and bucked her hips forward, her arms going around his neck as he kissed hers and she breathed his name over along with saying how much she hated him and couldn't hate him any more if she tried. She could say it all she wanted. But that doesn't mean she meant it.

* * *

"Oh, sorry," said a voice as someone bumped into Klaus at the supermarket.

"It's quite all right," Klaus replied, looking up just in time to see the woman who'd bumped into him. Her red hair was up, she wore dark glasses, and was openly drinking red liquid out of a water bottle. He studied her closely from her face, to down her torso and her legs, to her feet, which were in purple pumps, which Klaus recognized as Amy's. He gently grabbed her and slipped the glasses off her before turning her to face him. "Hello," he said. "How are you? Real subtle way to get your blood in. Aaron and Rosalie making you drink from the bottle?"

"They're not _making_ me," Amy shook her head. "I picked this."

"Of course you did," Klaus replied, letting her go and sighing. "Still the same old Amy, I see."

"Well, it's nice to see you too," Amy said, trying to ignore the sound of everyone's heartbeat pulsing in her ears. She put her hands over them and shut her eyes tight.

"Are you all right?" Klaus asked her.

"Yeah," Amy nodded, grabbing him and stroking his neck before pushing him away, gulping down blood from her bottle, and then running off with her cart at full speed.

Klaus stood alone for a few seconds and then decided to follow her. At a distance, of course. After she'd paid for her groceries, she got in her car and drove not home to Rosalie and Aaron, but to a more seedy part of town where there were several homeless people camped. She parked her car and got out, walking among the sad-looking tents and large refrigerator boxes that were being used as dwellings.  
Klaus wondered what the hell she was thinking going to a place like this, but it didn't take long for him to find out.

When one of the men approached her and grabbed her, trying both to pull up her skirt and get at the bracelet she wore, that was when she pounced, sinking her teeth into his neck and feeding with gusto. When she finally dropped him, her dress was covered in blood, and so was her face. She took a deep breath and then ran back to her car, locking herself in and laying her head on the steering wheel to try and calm her breathing. She started badly when Klaus knocked on her window, which she then reluctantly rolled down.

"Yes?" She asked, trying to keep her cool. "May I help you?"

"That was a fun little display," Klaus remarked. "Do you do it often?"

"Yeah," Amy nodded. "I do."

"Well…good for you," Klaus told her. "You'd be eating better if you were with me, but…you do what you want. Have a good night now." He left and then dialed Rosalie from his car. "Watch your mother," he told her. "She's feeding on people, and I'm not quite sure she knows what she's doing."

"All right, Daddy," Rosalie said. "I'll look out for her."

"Thank you, pet," Klaus replied. "I don't know what I'd do without you."


	5. A Little Rest And Relaxation

Because he disliked Victoria's very obtrusive methods of waking him up, Kai decided to surprise her one day. He woke up early (the things he did for her), zapped up a bouquet of pink dahlias, and sneaked into her room where she still lay asleep on her back with her hair cascading over her pillow. He took one of the dahlias out of the bunch and gently stroked her face with it. Her eyes popped open and just as a reflex, she punched him in the nose.

"Well, damn!" He cried and jumped back, the flowers falling to the floor. "Is that what you do to _everyone_ who brings you presents?"

"I'm sorry," Victoria said, her eyes wide. "But you startled me. What did you bring me? It's probably a box of dead rats or something horrible like that."

"Well, it happens to be flowers," Kai replied. "But if you'd _like_ a box of dead rats instead, I'd be more than happy to give them to you."

"No, thank you," she said, taking the one flower he still held in his hand. "It's lovely, thank you. But where did the others go?"

"On the floor," Kai replied. "I dropped them when you punched me."

"Ah," Victoria nodded, bending down to pick them up. "There you go. Thanks again."

"You're welcome," Kai replied as his nose began to bleed.

"You might want to put a Kleenex on that," Victoria said, trying not to lick her lips. "You might want to do it _now."_

"Oh, all right," Kai replied as she zapped up a box of tissues and shoved it in his hand before pushing him out the door. "But I have to say, your bedside manner is lacking!"

"It'll be better later," Victoria promised. "When I don't feel hungry enough to want to eat your face."

"Oh, that's _right_!" Kai remarked, putting some blood on his finger and holding it just below her nose. "I always forget you have vampire in you."

"Yeah, I do," Victoria replied, taking his finger and gently sucking the blood off just to see the look on his face. Then, as he seemed very aroused, she shoved him out the door. "Now go stop all that bleeding! And then when I've fed, I'll make you a big breakfast."

"You will?" Kai asked, brightening up a lot. "Okay!" He left her alone to feed from a blood bag she called up, and then when she felt normal, she headed into the kitchen to zap up a table full of food.

"Wow!" Kai remarked as he looked at the pancakes, eggs, toast, waffles, and other breakfast things that covered the table. "So all this is for _me_?"

"Yep," Victoria nodded, her flowers in a vase at the center of the table. "Eat all you want. You'll need energy for what we're gonna do today."

"That's a loaded phrase," Kai replied, his voice sounding a bit nasal because one nostril was full of tissue. "I don't know whether to be pissed or excited."

"Why don't you just keep an open mind?" Victoria suggested. "I think you might enjoy yourself."

"Oh," Kai rolled his eyes and stuffed some hashbrowns in his mouth. "That means my primary emotion will be 'pissed' then." He swallowed and reached for an apple, taking a big bite and letting the juice dribble down his chin.

"That's real attractive," Victoria said, taking a napkin in hand. "Here's a napkin. Use it."

Kai swallowed and said, "You know, I'd be much more receptive to your ordering me around if you were in your underwear while you did it. Black lace. Definitely see through."

"I'll keep that in mind," Victoria told him. "When you're done and dressed, let me know so we can leave."

"Leave?" Kai asked. "Where are we going?"

Victoria grabbed Kai's arm and led him to the window so he could see a quaint little lake that had appeared by the house. "You see that? It has fish in it. I think we should go catch some."

"You want me to go _fishing?"_ Kai asked.

"Yeah," Victoria nodded. "It'll get you fresh air and it's supposed to be a really soothing activity."

Kai growled then. "The things I do for you," he said. "And I'm _really_ starting to regret giving you those flowers."

"Oh, just come on!" Victoria told him as she pulled him out the door and they walked to the pond together.

* * *

But, as was expected, Kai didn't go with the program. In fact, he didn't even stick a pole in the water. He just imagined another man a few feet away, a basket full of fish at his side. Then he went over, killed him, and brought the full basket of fish back to Victoria, a big grin on his blood-spattered face. "There we go," he said. "Here's your fish. And you're right. I _am_ very relaxed."

Victoria growled in frustration at the look he was giving her. "You are so fucking annoying, you know that?" She then shoved him into the water hard enough to make a really big splash. "And I hope you drown in there, you asshole!"

But when he didn't resurface, Victoria began to get nervous. She stepped closer and closer to the water and then screamed as a hand pulled her down into it.

"What the hell did you do _that_ for?" She asked as Kai pulled her to him and kissed her, his arms holding her close against his hard body.

"Well, it's so much more romantic when people die together, don't you think?" He asked as he moved his hands down her body, kissed her hand, and cupped her bottom. "If I was gonna drown, I'd want you to do it with me."

"Oh, how sweet," Victoria told him dryly as she splashed him in the face. "You're a real weirdo, you know that?"

"I've been called worse," Kai said, giving her a deep kiss. He then got out of the water, his wet clothes very obviously sticking to him. "I think I want to leave now," he said. "You wanna come with me? Race me to the shower?"

"No, but that's sweet," Victoria told him. "I actually _do_ wanna fish."

"All right," Kai shrugged. "Suit yourself. But really, who's the weirdo now?" He then headed back to the house, showered, dressed again, and then waited for Victoria to come back. She didn't return for a couple of hours and then when she finally did, a large fish tank with a blue gill in it preceded her.

"What the hell is that?" Kai asked.

"This is the fish I caught," Victoria told him. "I've decided he's gonna be our pet."

"Well, he looks yummy," Kai remarked. "Let's cook him instead." He approached the tank and when he tried to reach in, Victoria slapped his hand.

"Don't you hurt Fish and Chips!" She remonstrated. "He's not for eating. He's for nurturing. And if you're gonna be a terrible pet parent, I'll just take care of him myself! Hell, I guess I should be glad this is just a fish, cause if you treat an animal like that, what you'd do with our real child hardly bears thinking!" She then took the tank into her room and shut the door, and when a sputtering Kai tried to follow her, his head full of questions about the meaning of her last remark, he realized he couldn't get into her room because she'd locked him out.

* * *

"Oh, you wonderful woman!" James cried, giving Regina a kiss when she came in to his office to tell him about the phone call from Victoria. "You just gave me the most wonderful present."

"Hey, should I be jealous?" Lenora asked good-naturedly from the doorway as she watched her husband hugging the pretty brunette witch and then went to sit at her desk. Astrid had decided some time before that it might be a good thing to have her granddaughter working with James for backup.

"If you were me, you'd kiss her too," James said. "She says she knows where Kai is!"

"Yeah," Regina replied. "But it'll be near impossible to get to it. They're in another dimension, one created by Kai himself. And you know how hard it is to get in those when you're an outsider."

"Could you go and spy for us, please?" James asked. "Surely you'd be allowed in since you're Victoria's mother."

"I don't know," Regina shrugged. "But I suppose I could try."

"Thank you," James said. "That really helps us out a lot. Let us know when you find something out."

"All right," Regina nodded. "And just a question…does Kai have his powers still? You know, outside of the cell?"

"Yes," James replied, flushing a little. "I realize now that it probably would have been an even _better_ idea to get them taken away, but…we were overconfident in how secure the cell was. When you see him, you tell him that if we ever catch him, his powers are _gone_."

"Oh, and I'm sure that will be real incentive for him to turn himself in," Lenora said to her husband after Regina left.

"Well, I'm just trying to fix my mistake," James said. "If anyone deserves to lose their powers, it's that monster." Then, he frowned at his wife, who was just shaking her head at him, a small smile on her face. "What?" He asked. "Have I said something wrong?"

"I suppose not," Lenora shrugged. "But I just can't help thinking about you before you and I got together. You were seen as the outcast, the bad guy. Nobody liked you or thought you were worth anything. They just looked at your past and said that was all you were good for. But what happened when I showed up, worked with you, and actually gave you something to care about? People changed their minds. You got a better job. People _like_ you now. Don't you think that Victoria could make that happen for Kai? Don't you think he deserves that chance?"

"Maybe," James huffed. "But I'm not stupid, Lenora. I made a mistake with him and I'm not gonna repeat it. If he comes back, his powers are _gone._ "

"You take his, he'll just steal someone else's," Lenora reminded him. "I think it would be best to leave things be. Let Victoria handle Kai and hope that he stays right where he is and doesn't cause any more trouble."

"What should I do with what Regina will tell me then?" James asked.

"You don't know much about created dimensions, do you?" Lenora asked. "They aren't like where we lived where you could do other-dimensional calling. No, the only way you can get into a created dimension is if someone who's already there invites you, and I doubt that Kai will even let Regina in. You'll be waiting for nothing. At least at the moment."

"Fine," James sighed. "I'll just wait for Victoria to call Regina again and see if anything interesting is said."

"Good idea," Lenora nodded. "Cause that's probably the best you'll get."

* * *

After several days of silence, Rosalie decided to tell her mom about the phone call from her dad. "Daddy said that he wanted me to look out for you," she said. "What happened?"

"He found me feeding the other day, after I left the grocery store," Amy got out. "It was so embarrassing!"

"Why?" Rosalie asked. "If anyone would understand a thirst for blood, it's Daddy. This is good! It could bring the two of you back together!"

"Not so fast," Amy replied. "It could come to nothing."

But when Klaus called that night, he brought it up too. "I was really surprised to find you out hunting," he said.

"I know," Amy replied. "I don't know what it is about this second time around, but I want to do things a bit differently."

"That's music to my ears," Klaus replied. "I can't wait to take you hunting."

"That's a very kind offer," Amy told him. "But I have my own way of doing things and I don't need anyone else's help. You have a good evening now." She then ended the call on Klaus' protests, put the phone away, made up some tea, and then went to bed.

* * *

Klaus tried to heed Amy's request, but the sight of her killing was just too thrilling a thing to get out of his mind. So the next night, he decided to go out again.

"But I thought we were staying in tonight!" Renee cried as she followed him to the door. "You went out yesterday!"

"And now I feel I need to go out again," Klaus replied, pushing her away. "That's that."

"Well, can I come with you?" Renee asked. "Are you going hunting?"

"There will be hunting involved, yes," Klaus nodded. "But I really don't think you'd enjoy yourself."

"I'm not just staying here!" Renee told him. "I might even go back to the bar and end up home with someone else tonight."

"Fine," Klaus shrugged. "Go. It doesn't bother me." He then left her behind, getting in his car and trying to remember where he'd seen Amy last. When that failed, he went to plan B. "Rosalie?" He called his daughter. "Sweetheart, has your mother gone out hunting yet?"

"Yeah," Rosalie confirmed. "Down to her usual place by the river. She just left. Why?"

"Well, I just feel like I should check on her and make sure nothing goes wrong," Klaus replied. "Thank you very much for your help, darling."

"You're welcome," Rosalie replied. "Can I ask…does this 'Checking up' business mean you're thinking about getting back together with her?"

"I hope so, at some point," Klaus said. "But I don't think it would be the best idea now. Goodbye."

"Bye," Rosalie replied and ended the call.

Then Klaus started his car and drove down to the river. He didn't get out of the car this time. Just stayed behind the wheel and watched for Amy.

It didn't take too long for her car to drive up and park. She got out and looked around before repeating the process she'd done before, and once again leaving the man's bleeding body on the ground. When she'd had her fill, she turned to face Klaus' car, blood dribbling from her chin.

"My goodness, love, it's almost as if you know I'm watching you," Klaus chuckled to himself. As if to further prove that statement, Amy then headed to her car, got in it, and then pulled a duffel bag from the trunk with what seemed like a new set of clothes to replace her blood-spattered ones.

She began undressing, throwing each stained article of clothing in the trunk, and then, when she was just in her bra and panties, pausing a bit before putting her new clean clothes on. Then, when she was fully dressed, she got behind the wheel, started the car, and drove away, while Klaus sat in the driver's seat for a bit and let himself think of Amy cleaning herself off in the shower.


	6. Giving A Little Bit

"You know, you don't have to carry the damn fish around with you everywhere," Kai said as Victoria placed it on the breakfast table next to her bowl of cereal. "I'm not going to eat it. I was just making a joke."

Victoria narrowed her eyes. "I don't know if I trust you. You seemed pretty serious."

"Well, speaking of saying things seriously, what were you going on about me being a parent to a child?" Kai wanted to know. "You're not pregnant, are you? I'm a psychopath! I shouldn't be raising children! I have better things to do…like instilling fear and killing people!"

"Technically my family is _full_ of psychopaths that raised children, so to me, that's not really a problem," Victoria told him. "But to ease your fears, no, I'm not pregnant. I was just saying that if we ever _did_ have a kid, I wouldn't want you to treat him like you treat poor Fish and Chips."

"It's an animal," Kai said testily. "It doesn't have feelings."

"Animals can have feelings. I mean, you do, right?" Victoria wanted to know.

"Ha, ha…that is so hilarious," Kai replied. "Now why don't you get the fish off the table?"

"Why?" Victoria asked. "Will you eat him if I don't?"

"No," Kai shook his head. "We already established that I won't eat him. But I'm sure there are other ways to rid myself of him if I want to."

"Well, now you know why I carry Fish and Chips around with me everywhere I go," Victoria told him. "Cause if I turn my back on him for one minute, you're gonna kill him cause you're so screwed up that you can't even let me have a damn _fish_ without wanting to get rid of it. That is so lame. If you're gonna force me to be here with you for the rest of my life and not have anyone else see me except you, the least you could do is let me have ways of amusing myself that don't involve you. Or let me at least be able to simulate the family that I'm probably never going to be able to have without interfering. Can't you do that for me? Please?"

"Oh, all right," Kai sighed irritably. "As long as you don't forget about me."

"I won't," Victoria swore. "I promise. And thank you for your help. It might just prove that you're something more than a heartless, selfish jerk after all."

* * *

Because Victoria's last remark had stung him, Kai did his best to try and prove that he wasn't what she said. Although he didn't see himself as the parent type and probably never would, he decided that he would try to show Victoria that he did have a nurturing side. In an attempt to surprise her when she went out to get some sun, he zapped up a bassinet and put the fish in it after taking it out of the tank and putting a small hat on it. He then waited for her to show up.

When she returned, she looked at him suspiciously and said, "Did you touch the fish?"

"About that, I have a surprise for you," Kai replied with a smile. "Go into your room and look."

So Victoria did and when she saw what he'd done, she let out a shriek. "What the hell have you done?" She yelled, running back to him. "You can't take a fish out of a tank! It will _die!_ In fact, he's _dead_ right now!"

"I just can't do _anything_ right by you, can I?" Kai remarked.

"I told you not to touch the fish and you _promised_!" Victoria cried. "You _lied_ to me! How could you?"

"I'm sorry," Kai replied. "But in the end, it's just a fish, right? There are a million others in the sea."

Victoria sighed. "And you're damn lucky about that," she said.

"So what do we do now?" Kai asked. "Flush it and go get another one?"

"No, we're not gonna flush it!" Victoria shook her head. "We're gonna bury him and give him a proper funeral. You can dig the grave because I know you like burying things."

"Really?" Kai asked. "A funeral? For a _fish_?"

"Yes," Victoria nodded resolutely. "Let's go."

Muttering angrily under his breath, Kai followed Victoria out to the yard and made a small hole for her to put the fish in with his magic.

"No, no," Victoria shook her head. "That's not good enough. You have to dig it by hand cause you killed the fish. You did it when you thought you killed me. Why is this so different?"

"Cause you're actually worth something to me," Kai replied. "The fish isn't."

Victoria considered the compliment and then said, "Okay, here's a compromise: you dig the grave for Fish and Chips and I won't make you say any complimentary things about him after the burial. Hell, you can go inside if you want. But if you choose not to bury him, you have to say three good things about him. Which one do you want to do?"

Immediately, Kai zapped up a shovel and began digging a grave. After that, he even zapped up a nice little box for Victoria to put the fish in so that he didn't have to go directly into the dirt.

"Thank you," Victoria told him as she gently laid the fish in the box and put the lid on before placing it in the ground. She then waited for Kai to go back inside as she promised him he could, but to her surprise, he stayed where he was and took her hand.

"I won't say any words over a dead fish," he told her. "But I suppose if it means so much to you, I could stay out here with you until you feel your little friend has been properly mourned."

"Well, thank you," Victoria told him and gave him a kiss. "That's very sweet of you." So they stood together in front of the fish's grave and Victoria said a few words while Kai tried not to chuckle. After it was over, Kai threw dirt over the box and then they headed inside just as some thunder crashed overhead and it began to rain.

"Who called that up?" Kai asked. "It wasn't me."

"I did," Victoria replied. "I thought it would be a good way for us to stay inside for a bit."

Kai smiled, picked her up, and carried her the rest of the way into the house. They then sat on the sofa together with Victoria's bare legs across Kai's lap while she read him a book, not even saying anything as he ran his hands lightly over her legs, but when he went further up onto her thigh, that was when she put the book down.

"You know," she said, "I think I've had enough of this book for now."

"Oh, really?" Kai grinned and kissed her. "What would you rather do instead?"

"I don't know," Victoria smiled. "But your hands seem to have an agenda of their own going."

"Very true," Kai remarked, taking her hand in his and kissing each finger. "They can't help themselves. They like being all over you. It's their favorite place."

"I guess I can't really blame them," Victoria shrugged. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to let them have the chance to explore everything." She then got up, kicked off her shoes, and then slowly stripped off her clothes piece by piece until she stood naked before Kai, her clothes in a pile on the floor beside her.

"Your turn now," she told him.

"No, I can't," Kai replied, grinning as he cupped Victoria's chin with his hand. "I want you to undress me. You did well enough for yourself."

With a wild glint in her eye, Victoria did what he asked and soon, both were naked as they caressed and kissed one another before pausing to climb on the living room sofa and begin touching again. When Kai slipped inside her, Victoria pushed herself up to nibble on his neck. In the midst of passion, however, she took a bit more blood than she meant to, which ended their passion rather abruptly.

"Are you okay?" She asked, standing over a woozy Kai with worry in her eyes. "I really didn't mean to take so much!" She then zapped on a nurse's outfit, bit her wrist and then asked Kai, "Do you think you'll be able to swallow this?"

"You're really worrying too much," Kai told her. "I'm fine. Honestly."

"You don't look fine," Victoria replied. "You're so pale." She gave him some blood and then held him close after he swallowed it, apologizing profusely. When she was sure that he could walk, she led him to bed and tucked him in. "You need your rest," she said.

"Will you stay here with me?" Kai asked. "And not leave until I wake up again?"

"Of course," Victoria nodded, even climbing in beside him so she could hold on to him. "I did this to you and I won't leave until I'm sure you're better."

"You're a good woman, Vicki," he said as she slowly massaged his stomach. "Did I ever tell you that?"

"I'm sure you did," Victoria replied. "Now just rest, all right?" She then kissed him gently on the lips as he closed his eyes and his breathing became even, signaling that he'd fallen asleep.

* * *

"Go ahead and tell me that I'm a total idiot for being worried about Victoria," Kol told his daughter. "I mean, you and Declan don't seem worried at all."

"Well, if there was something to worry about, then of course we'd be worried," Regina assured him. "You know what? I think you and Mom need to just go away somewhere just the two of you and focus on something else."

"Yeah, I could do that," Kol nodded. "We _have_ been growing apart lately. Or I'm sure there are things we can do that are closer to home. Like helping with your aunt Amy. She's hunting people now, apparently. Did you know that?"

"She is?" Regina asked, eyes wide. "Seriously? I have to see that!"

"Well, apparently, there's a certain place she goes without fail every evening," Kol said. "And I'm sure that if we asked nicely, your uncle would be willing to take us all along."

"Are you going to ask Uncle Klaus, or do you want us to?" Regina wanted to know.

"Oh, I'll do it," Kol said. "And I might even ask your mom if she wants to come too."

"Good idea," Regina said. "Nothing brings a couple together like murder."

"Well, that's very true about your mother and me," Kol agreed. Then he went to call Klaus and they made plans for Kol, Regina, and Margot to come along with Klaus when he went to see Amy the next evening.

* * *

"I really can't wait to see my sister feeding," Margot said. She was squished between Kol and Regina in the backseat of Klaus' car as they drove to see Amy's nightly activities. "Now you're sure she's actually gonna be there, Klaus? This isn't just a wild goose chase?"

"My dear Margot, what would the point be if this were a wild goose chase?" Klaus asked her. "What would it prove?"

"I don't know," Margot replied. "You just better not be lying."

They parked in the usual spot, and watched for a bit as Amy stopped to feed. Then Margot opened the window and called out, "You know you can do better, right?"

Amy stopped and stared before darting for her car with an expression like a scared rabbit.

"You and your big mouth!" Klaus said to Margot as he bounded out of the car and grabbed Amy just before she got in her own car and was able to drive away.

"How the hell did you know I was here?" Amy asked Klaus, her voice shaking. "Did…did Rosalie tell you?"

"That and I followed you from the grocery store," Klaus replied, and gently stroked her face. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Amy nodded, her voice shaking. "I just need to go home and I'll be fine."

"Do you want me to drive you?" Klaus asked. "Or call Rosalie to come and get you?"

"I think…I think I'd like you to take me," Amy replied. "I don't think I'm really ready to face anyone else with this yet."

"All right," Klaus nodded. He took her in his arms and licked the blood off of her mouth before whispering in her ear, "Are you sure you got enough? Or did Margot stop you before you were ready?"

"I-I think I'm still hungry," Amy admitted. "But really, I only feel it's safe to go after one person a night or else people will start getting suspicious." She then kissed his neck a few times before asking, "Can I take some from _you?"_

Klaus smiled and pushed her hair out of her face. "I was hoping you'd ask that."

She gave him a small smile in return and then he held her fast as she took a bite of him and began sucking his blood. The intensity with which she fed showed that she was clearly not eating enough. When she finally was able to pull away, her face and his neck were covered in blood.

"Sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to eat so much."

"It's fine," Klaus assured her. "Would you like to lick off the rest? That might be best. You should be eating all you can."

Amy then nodded and slowly licked his neck clean and even let him have some of her blood the same way before saying, "I've had enough. Let's go home now."

"Would you like me to drive you back to your house?" He asked. "Or would you like to come home with me?"

Amy thought a moment and said, "Take me to Rosalie's. But maybe, one of these next times I go hunting, you could come with me?"

"Of course," Klaus smiled and kissed her hair before starting the car. "I would love that."


	7. A Bond Of Blood

"You don't have to keep apologizing for biting me," Kai told Victoria as she kept bringing him cookies late on Halloween night. "I _liked_ it!"

"How _could_ you like it?" Victoria asked. "You could have been killed! You may be annoying sometimes, but you don't deserve to die for it."

"Well, you're one of the few people in my life that has that opinion," Kai remarked. "How do you think I would be as a vampire?"

"Why do you want to know?" Victoria asked. "What's wrong with just being a warlock?"

"I'm not stupid," Kai said. "You know that James is out for my blood and that the second I leave here, I'll be powerless. Vampire powers are some that I could have that wouldn't be taken away. So…what do you think?"

"I think you'd be a really good vampire, honestly," Victoria admitted. Then she giggled. "I can just imagine the look on my grandfather's face if I brought you home and he tried to kill you only for you to just pop up alive again."

"All right," Kai said and pulled off his shirt before offering her his neck. "Let's do it then. Go ahead and bite me."

"No!" Victoria shook her head. "I'm not gonna do that."

"Why?" Kai asked. "You just said it would be funny."

"It would, but I'm not sure you know exactly what you're asking for," Victoria told him. "I want to make sure you know exactly what you're giving up before I turn you."

"I know I'd be giving up feeling like some fragile doll you can't do certain things with cause it'll kill me if you do," Kai replied. "And isn't that in itself a good enough reason to make the change?"

"It would be," Victoria nodded. " _Except_ …"

"Except what?" Kai asked. "Whatever is standing in the way of this, just tell me and we'll get it taken care of."

"Well," Victoria blushed a little. "Before we turn you, I'd like…I'd like to have a family, and you can't do that if you're a vampire."

"You want to have a family with _me?_ " Kai asked in shock. "Why?"

"Cause I won't be leaving you to have a relationship with anyone else any time soon, right?" Victoria reasoned and pushed her dark hair out of her eyes. "What other choices do I have besides you? And though you like to act like you're so bad, I think you've got a good side too."

"I might," Kai agreed. "But that's not exactly a good reason for us to have a kid."

"You might change your mind in time," Victoria said. "You have that. It's not like I'm gonna force you to make me pregnant now. That would be crazy."

"Yes," Kai nodded and zapped up a beer, which he chugged for a bit before coming up for air. "Yes, it would." He paused and held the bottle out to her. "You want a drink?"

"Sure," Victoria nodded. "Normally I wouldn't be old enough, but what the hell?"

After the bottle was empty, Kai threw it away and went to get another one. "All right," he said when he sat down again. "Tell me about vampire stuff, so I know what I'm getting into when it's time for me to turn."

"Well, all right," Victoria replied. "Surely I don't have to tell you everything, though. What do you know already?"

"I know about the blood-drinking and the not being able to be killed," Kai replied. "And I know I'll have to kill people to stay alive. What else do I need to know?"

"Nothing, I suppose," Victoria replied. "I suppose that as nutty as you are now, nothing will faze you."

"No, no it won't," Kai smiled and came to take her in his arms. "What's your excuse against turning me now? Other than the 'having kids' thing?"

"You could be too dangerous to be a vampire. You'd do _too_ good of a job," Victoria said. "I want to wait until you've chilled out a bit."

"Well, look at you, coming up with an answer for everything," Kai told her. "But in spite of that, you _will_ turn me eventually, right?"

"Yes," Victoria nodded. "I'm sure there'll be a time where you'll be powerless and lost and you'll need a little pick me up. That's when I'll turn you."

"There'll never be a time like that," Kai replied. "I promise you. So you might as well just turn me now. Or at least bite me. Please?"

"No, biting you is bad," Victoria said patiently. "It takes you time to recover, and as we've already seen, I have a tendency to go too far if I'm not careful. But, I suppose…I suppose you _could_ try some of my blood if you wanted, just to get used to tasting it."

Kai smiled widely. "All right. I'll accept that. It's not like I haven't tasted it and enjoyed it before." He paused and then went to get a knife. "Let's start now. Perfect thing to do on a Halloween night, don't you think?"

"Yeah," Victoria nodded. "I suppose I do." Then she zapped on a black bikini. "To give you more places to pick from when you're deciding where to get blood," she explained when Kai raised an eyebrow. "I think it wouldn't hurt to give you options."

"You're taking this request of mine remarkably well," Kai said as he admired the sharpness of the knife he held and she lay down on her back on the floor. "Anyone else would be terrified."

"Well, you have to remember," Victoria said. "I'm not just _anyone._ I'm someone who's grown up around stuff like this my whole life, so why the hell would I be scared of it?"

Kai cuffed her just for the heck of it and then gently made shallow scratch marks around her belly button with the tip of the knife just so he could hear the little squeaks come out of her mouth. "Did that hurt?" He asked.

"No," Victoria shook her head. "I'm fine." She smiled. "Nothing really hurts me. You do what you will. I don't mind." Her tongue then peeked out and licked her bottom lip.

"Now you stop that!" Kai cried, plunging the knife just under her breast. She screamed, which quickly turned into laughter. "Oh, that was _great!_ " She cried, even as blood seeped from the wound. "Go and do it again!"

"I don't know if I need to," Kai remarked and then licked at the wound. "I seem to have all the blood I need right here."

When he finally decided that he'd had enough, he smiled at her, her blood still clinging to his lips. "You taste so good," he said, undoing her cuffs, taking her hand and sucking on her fingers. Then Victoria took the knife and sliced his palm. "What was that for?" he asked.

Victoria giggled and then licked his blood off the knife. "You think you're the only one who needs some of the red stuff today?" She asked. "I do too, and I figure now is the best time to get it." She sat up and soon had him pinned to the floor after she'd ripped his shirt off. "I'm hungry," she told him, showing her teeth.

"I know," he told her, his breathing picking up. "But aren't you afraid of hurting me?"

"No," she shook her head, leaning down so that her silky dark hair brushed his bare chest and made him feel very aroused. "Not if you're not afraid of being hurt."

"No," Kai shook his head. "Do whatever you want. I can always take revenge later."

"Oh, good," Victoria giggled and clapped. First, she kissed him, biting his lip and licking up the blood with her tongue. Then she licked his neck and whispered in a breathy voice, "don't worry; I'll be gentle." He waited for her to bite his neck, which she did, and let up a lot quicker than she had before.

"I thought you said you were hungry," he told her.

"There's more than one place on a body to get blood," she explained. She then took a little from his wrist and even some from his inner thigh before finally bringing her head up, a smile on her lips. "How do you feel?" She asked, stroking Kai's face.

"I feel so good," he said as he felt her slip her hand under his pants and stroke him. "You have no _idea_ how good."

"Wonderful," Victoria said. Then whispered in his ear, "Trick or treat."

* * *

"I'm surprised you wanted to come with me to Selina's birthday party," Klaus told Amy the next evening. "I thought you wanted to stay away from people for now."

"I do, but Selina's not 'people'," Amy said. "If anyone will understand what I'm going through without pushing too much, it's her. And…thanks for _your_ help also. This might not surprise you, but I find you much more comforting to be around than Kol or Margot and Rosalie probably wants to do more with her life than look after me."

"It's really not a problem," Klaus said. "How are you managing?"

"To be completely honest, not all that well," Amy sighed. "I know this is my lot in life now, but when I got out of the shower this morning, I tried to turn on the hair dryer with my powers and then I remembered I didn't have any, so I kind of…had a breakdown."

"You did?" Klaus asked, pulling her to him and kissing her. "Did you talk to someone?"

"No," Amy shook her head. "I just cried it out. It turned out okay in the end. I'm better now."

"That's good," Klaus replied. "I'm happy for you. But you can still tell me anything. I'll be here for you night or day."

"I know you will," Amy nodded. "Thank you."

"Why do you think it's so hard for you this time?" Klaus asked. "It wasn't the first time. I remember that."

"Cause the first time, I didn't make the same goal I am now," Amy replied. "Now, I'm trying to embrace hunting so you and I are on the same level when it comes to that subject. Unfortunately, however, it's a lot harder than I thought."

"Just remember that humans are your prey now," Klaus told her. "No different than when humans kill cows for steak. And that if they caught you, they wouldn't hesitate to end _your_ life."

"I suppose that _is_ a good point," Amy remarked. Then she paused. "Maybe it's not even people that are making it hard to like hunting. "Maybe I don't like the taste of blood."

"Perhaps it's because you haven't tried the right kind yet," Klaus said, biting down on his wrist and holding it out to her. "Here, have some of mine."

And to Amy's surprise, she didn't have the hesitation that she normally did. She just pounced and soon, she was tasting blood that was much sweeter and more wonderful than anything to come out of a human. When she finally pulled away, she was grinning and showing blood-stained teeth. "That's wonderful," she told Klaus. "If I could just feed off of you all the time, everything would be perfect." She paused. "I wonder what your neck tastes like?"

Her eyes were shining and eager as they both undressed, kissing wildly before she pulled away and made a trail of kisses from Klaus' lips to his neck and then bit down again. She didn't hit a particularly juicy spot, but _some_ blood spurted out into her mouth. She swallowed it, then sat back and took a deep breath. "Wow," she said. "Oh, my god."

Then she looked at Klaus. "Did I hurt you?" She asked. "I hope I didn't hurt you." She kissed his neck again, but this time, didn't bite down.

"Oh, no, love," Klaus told her as he held her and kissed her hair. "I'm fine. And I'm glad you are, too."


	8. A Better Birthday

About a week into November, Kai suddenly became morose and belligerent, even refusing every offer of food Victoria put down in front of him, then locking himself in his room and denying her entrance, even when she said she was going to put the maid uniform on again.

"I told you to go away!" Kai shouted from behind the closed door. "How many times do I have to yell that before you get the message?"

"Just tell me what the matter is and then I'll go," Victoria told him. "What's wrong? I'd like to help if I can."

"Don't bother," Kai said. "I don't deserve it. Just leave me alone."

"Fine," Victoria replied. She took a few steps away from his bedroom door before she changed her mind, zapped it open, and hugged him, even though he squirmed in her grasp and didn't hug back.

"All right, all right," he said and pushed her away. "It's my birthday. And now that I've told you, just leave me alone, okay?"

"Fine," Victoria shrugged. "I'll leave you alone. I was just trying to help. But before I go," she turned her back to him, then zapped up a white cake with white frosting and sprinkles and smashed it down on his head. "Happy birthday, _Malachai_!"

"I-I-I can't believe you just did that!" Kai cried and then ran to grab her as she headed out the door, turning her to face him giving her a kiss.

She wiped frosting out of his eyes and took a piece of cake out of his hair, grinning as she popped it in her mouth. "Hey, that's really good," she remarked. "I do good work." She took another piece out of Kai's hair and popped it in his mouth. "Good?" She asked.

"Yeah, Vicky," Kai remarked, slowly licking frosting off his bottom lip and then smirking up at her. "I suppose it is."

Victoria then ripped off his shirt and pushed him back onto his bed, running her hands over his torso and then leaning down to kiss him, inching down ever so slowly toward the waistline of his boxer shorts as she grabbed his wrists and held him down.

Then he pulled out of her grip, flipped her over so that he was looking down on her eyes, and kissed her again. Afterward, he took her in his arms, squeezed her tight, and just held onto her, breathing in the scent of her hair and nibbling on her earlobe.

"Are you gonna be okay?" She asked. "Cause I really don't like the thought of you being upset on your birthday."

"Yes," he nodded. "I think I'll be fine. I know you might find this hard to believe, but this is shaping up to be the first decent birthday I've ever had." He gave her a small smile then and kissed her hand.

"Well, I'm glad," Victoria told him. "That's what I was going for." She then zapped up a couple of glasses of wine. "Wanna toast your birthday?" She asked.

"Sure," Kai replied and took the glass of red she offered him. "I could use a drink."

"To many more better birthdays," Victoria said. "I'll make sure of that." They clinked glasses, emptied them, and then Kai asked her to get him another piece of cake. She did and he refused to eat it himself, insisting that she feed it to him.

"Oh, all right," she huffed. "But I don't get why when you're a grown man!"

"Because it's my birthday and you have to do whatever I say," Kai smirked.

"What if I don't?" Victoria wanted to know. "What will you do to me then?"

He put her over his knee and gave her three good spankings before pushing her in the direction of the kitchen. She then came back with a piece of cake for him and slowly fed him bite by bite using her fingers. Then, he zapped her up a piece. "I wanna watch _you_ eat one now."

"All right," Victoria said, giving him a strange look and protesting when he took her fork away and wouldn't give it back.

"It's okay to eat with your fingers," he told her. "We're all casual here."

So she ate the cake, and whenever she licked frosting off her fingers, his gaze got hot and his breathing picked up. When it was all gone, he pulled her to him and kissed her, then slipped his head between her spread legs.

After that, she flipped over so she was on top, and then, taking some frosting from a small tub she made appear beside her, put it on his cock before gently sucking it off as he laughed, his hips bucking forward.

"Oh, Vicky, you are a _very_ naughty girl!" he said, one hand gripping the bedknob behind him. When she finally looked up at him, her smile was broad and her dark eyes were sparkling. "I know I'm naughty," she replied. "But I just can't help it. Happy birthday, Malachai."

Kai smiled back, sitting up and pulling her to him to play with her hair. "It certainly is now, Vicky."

* * *

"Hello, you two," Amy said as she let Kol and Margot in to her house. "What's going on?"

"We just wanted to check on you," Kol answered, a smirk on his face. "See if you were doing all right. Although according to my brother, you're doing fine."

Amy flushed a little. "He told you what went on between the two of us, did he?"

"Yes," Kol nodded and actually gave Amy a hug. "I don't think I've ever heard him so proud."

"And I don't know why that is, though!" Amy replied. "I mean, I fed from him like an animal! I completely lost control of myself!"

"So what?" Margot asked. "Kol and I do that with each other all the time."

"You do?" Amy asked. "So it's not…weird? Cause Klaus tastes really good, so I don't think I'm gonna stop feeding on him."

"No, it's _not_ weird!" Margot smiled. "It's totally normal. Good for you. We're so proud!"

"Are _you_ gonna hug me too?" Amy asked.

"I was thinking about it," Margot nodded.

Amy held out her arms. "All right then," she said. "Go ahead."

"But seriously, how are you feeling?" Margot asked after they pulled apart. "Not bad, I hope. You're not doing anything wrong."

"With Klaus, of course I'm not," Amy agreed. "He told me up front that he would let me feed on him and that he was okay with it. I can't say that about any other person I seek out as 'prey'."

"So, let me get this straight," Kol told her after running his fingers through his hair. "You want to go up to every person you think about biting and ask if they're okay with being bitten? If you do that, you won't be eating at all."

"Animals are always an option," Margot added as they all went to sit on the sofa. "They don't taste as good, but at least then you wouldn't have to worry about human life."

"No, I can't do that either," Amy shook her head. "Animals are even _more_ innocent!"

"Well, you have to make a choice and feed off one or the other," Margot said. "You can't just abstain!"

"Oh, I know," Amy sighed. "I'm sure I'll think of something." She paused. "So…what's going on with you two, other than being so involved in my life? I'm sure there are things out there that are more interesting than me."

Margot sighed. "Victoria is still kidnapped, and we still have no way to get to her, so we're just biding our time. Actually, I'm not as bothered by it as Kol is, and Regina seems fine, but from time to time, I'm still a little worried, cause honestly, we haven't heard a word from her in forever. That's the really sucky thing about having someone be stuck in a private dimension."

"It's a private dimension?" Amy asked. "Oh, shit! I remember when we were kids and you and Mom were fighting about you wanting to wear make-up, so you stole all of hers and created a private dimension for yourself and she swore for days cause she couldn't get you out."

"Yeah," Margot smiled. "That was one of my more genius moves if I do say so myself."

Suddenly, Kol's face changed. "I just had a thought," he said. "If you were to create one of these other dimensions, would it bring you into contact with others? Like, could you call the dimension that Victoria is in from yours?"

"I honestly don't know," Margot said. "I mean, people usually create these dimensions for the purpose of being alone, not because they want to talk to other people. But I suppose it could be a thing to be able to talk to each other from the personal dimensions even though no one has ever tried it before. I mean, if Victoria can call Regina, who's to say I couldn't call her from a dimension of my own?" She paused. "I assume you want me to zap a dimension up? Cause…damn it, why don't I have powers? Fuck it all! I can't do it unless I have powers!"

"Go talk to Astrid," Amy instructed. "I'm sure that given the circumstances under which you lost them, and the fact that you want to use them to help rescue Victoria, she'll be more than willing to help you get your powers back."

"All right," Margot nodded. "We'll go do that. Are you gonna be all right?"

"Yeah, sure," Amy nodded. "I'll be fine."

"Good," Margot told her. "I'll call you tonight and fill you in on what happened."

"Good," Amy nodded. "I can't wait to hear." She then shut the door behind her and waited for Klaus to come back.

"I hope you didn't miss me too much while I was out hunting," he told her as he came to take her in his arms. "Do you have anything interesting to report?"

"Well," Amy cleared her throat. "Kol and Margot were just here and they might have stumbled on an idea to rescue Victoria, provided she wants to be rescued, that is."

"Of course she would!" Klaus said. "Why wouldn't she?"

"Because sometimes, darkness has an appeal," Amy pointed out. "Especially if there's gentleness and goodness underneath, even if you have to work a bit to get to it."

"Don't you compare my relationship with you to Victoria's relationship with that boy!" Klaus cried. "They're totally different things!"

"I really don't think so," Amy said. "And now, on to a different subject…is it common for vampires to feed off other vampires?"

"No, it's not common," Klaus shook his head. "But that doesn't mean it can't be done. Is that what you're thinking of doing?"

"Yes," Amy nodded. "I mean, I like feeding off of you, you know. And vampires just wouldn't have that air of innocence that humans or animals would have, you know? So I wouldn't feel as much like I was killing innocent people and things who didn't deserve it." She paused. "Do you think I'm crazy?"

"Of course not, sweetheart," Klaus said and kissed her hand. "It'll be an interesting challenge, to be sure, but I'm up for it."

"Good," Amy smiled and kissed him. "Let's go."

* * *

Although the day started out slow, by the time Klaus and Amy returned home that night, they were both full and blood-spattered, with Klaus carrying Amy into the house and humming just as the phone began ringing.

"Put me down!" Amy cried. "That's probably my sister calling about our latest plan to get hold of Victoria." Klaus put her down and she ran to the phone, picking it up and saying, "Hello, Margot? Is that you? How did things go with Astrid?"

"It took us a long time to see her cause she was in meetings all day, but she took us out to lunch and we talked," Margot replied. "She seemed intrigued by the idea, although she was, of course, as clueless as I was about whether it would work or not. And then she got my powers working again and gave me her blessing to try the plan out."

"Well, that's great!" Amy exclaimed. "How does Kol feel? Is he happy?"

"'Happy' does not begin to describe how he feels," Margot said and went to look out the window at him as he hit several baseballs into the garage door with his bat, leaving giant holes. "I'm gonna have to get those fixed up," she thought to herself. Then she continued talking to her sister. "So, would you and Klaus like to be in on the actual dimension creation, or should I just do it myself and tell you what happens?"

"You try it yourself," Amy told her. "Klaus and I came up with a new hunting plan that is marvelously successful, and it would be disrupted if we went to stay in the other dimension with you."

"All right then," Margot told her. "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks," Amy told her. "I'm happy too."


	9. In A Dimension Of My Own

"So tell me," Victoria requested of Kai as they walked around the house together. "How exactly did you get a place like this? Did you really just make it all up?"

"Yeah," Kai nodded. "Basically, all you have to do is say a spell asking for sanctuary or your own secret place and you'll get it. And no one else gets to come in unless you invite them."

"Seriously?" Victoria asked. "Literally no one?"

"Exactly," Kai nodded.

"I don't know why James and the others didn't just imprison you in a place like this," Victoria remarked. "It would have been easier."

"Nah, I still would have had magic," Kai remarked. "And the ability to amuse myself however I chose. And that's not really punishment, is it?"

"Well, neither is being stuck in a room with me and they still let you do that," Victoria reminded him.

"Have you forgotten what you were like before you aged yourself up a bit?" Kai remarked playfully and swatted her on the bottom. "I think you have."

"No, I still remember," Victoria told him. "And I wasn't that bad!"

"Yes, you were," Kai told her. "You took full advantage of your situation and it was the most annoying thing."

"It got you to behave, though," Victoria pointed out. "Therefore, I don't think I did anything wrong."

"Of course not," Kai told her. "You try being twenty-two and having to take orders from someone who's twelve, though. It gets real old real quick."

"You're not twenty-two," Victoria corrected. "You just look it."

"Well, that's practically the same thing," Kai said.

"So anyone can make a hideout like this?" Victoria asked. "Even me?"

"Sure you could," Kai replied, sounding a little hurt. "But why would you want to make a place of your own when you and I are having such a good time _here_?" His lower lip jutted out in a teasing pout which Victoria couldn't resist kissing and then ruffling his hair.

"I'm not saying I want to leave here," She assured him. "But you know, since you kidnapped me (cause that's what you did, don't deny it) my family has been up in arms and I'm sure they are or they have talked to Astrid about getting in here and taking me away, so I need to know the spell in order to make us another place in case this one gets breached.

"You don't need to make another one," Kai told her. "I'll do it again. It's no problem."

"Why should you get to make both of the places where we live?" Victoria asked. "Can't one at least be more suited to _my_ tastes, rather than yours?"

"Oh, I suppose," Kai sighed. "But if you're gonna do it, don't make it all pink and girly with lace curtains and stuff. I can't live in a place like that."

"All right," Victoria said. "I'll make a note so that your fragile masculinity isn't threatened by a color."

"Thank you," Kai told her. "I know you're mocking me and I'm going to get you for that later, but thank you all the same."

"You're welcome," Victoria said, her voice smug. She paused then and said, "One more question about how this place works: I know you said that no one is allowed to come here unless we invited them, but if we _wanted_ them to come, they could, right?"

"Yes," Kai nodded. "I don't quite know how it would work, but I guess it's possible theoretically." He paused. "Why? You're not thinking about inviting your parents or your grandparents to come visit, are you?"

"No," Victoria shook her head. "At least not at this point. I'll most likely be seeing them when they show up to 'rescue' me, so there's no rush. I'm only asking because I want to be knowledgeable about how a place like this works."

"All right," Kai nodded. "I have something I need to do, so…will you be able to find some way to amuse yourself in the meantime?"

"Sure," Victoria nodded. "But what are you doing? Are you leaving to go somewhere?"

"No," Kai grinned. "I've got a surprise in mind for you, and I have to go work on it."

"Okay, I'm scared," Victoria told him. "What sort of surprise is it?"

"Would you stop looking at me like I'm going to eat you or something?" Kai asked her. "It's gonna be a good surprise, not a bad one."

"Can you blame me for being a bit nervous though?" Victoria asked. "I have a feeling that our definitions of what a good surprise is are somewhat different."

"Just trust me, all right?" Kai asked. "I'll let you know when I'm done."

* * *

Sighing, but letting him go, Victoria played solitaire and then read a book, all the while trying not to think about what Kai was up to, which went pretty well until the sound of a saw pierced the air and made her cry out and drop her book. She got up and followed the noise to a closed door in a part of the house she hadn't even realized was there before. She knocked on it three times and shouted over the whirring of the saw, "Kai, what the hell is going on in there? What are you doing? You tell me right this minute!"

Kai opened it just a smidge, enough so that his face fit the crack in the door but so she couldn't see much else and said, "Be patient. I'm working on your surprise, and it'll be done soon."

"Why'd you have to make a whole other part of the house to do it?" She asked. "This was _not_ here this morning. I'm very sure of that."

"You're right, it wasn't," Kai confirmed. "Now you just mosey on back to what you were doing and let me get my project done, okay?"

"I'm not moseying anywhere until you stop with that damn saw!" Victoria told him. "How am I supposed to concentrate on my reading with all the noise you're making? I am seriously this close to slapping you!"

"Just be patient," Kai told her again, amusement in his voice. "There'll be time for that later. But I _am_ sorry about the saw. I was practicing my handyman skills. I'll continue my work the quiet way from now on."

"Thank you, I appreciate that very much," Victoria said before heading back to her book. She was so absorbed in it that when Kai came up behind her chair and put his hands over her eyes with a genial 'Guess who?" she screamed.

"Sorry about that," he said, moving his hands and backing away. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"That's okay," Victoria told him. "I was just so into my book that I didn't hear anything else. Are you finished with your big secret project that I can't know anything about?"

"Yes," Kai replied, and tied a blindfold around her eyes. "Come with me and I'll show you." So Victoria gave him her hand and she was led through what seemed like miles and miles of darkness. Finally, she heard the opening of a door and after he led her inside, he took her blindfold off. "Ta-da!" He said.

Victoria looked around. The room was painted bright red and to a normal eye resembled something like a torture chamber. There were chairs and tables and even a bed in the corner, but also devices that kept people suspended in midair, chairs that kept the person sitting in them restrained, fancy paddles on the wall, and a large black box in the corner.

"What's in the box?" Victoria asked.

"That's where the cuffs and stuff are kept," Kai smiled. "I thought it would be nice for us to have a little playroom. Do you like it?"

"Oh, my god," Victoria said in amazement as she wandered around, her jaw dropping. "This is…this is amazing!"

"I hoped you'd say that," Kai remarked, a sly smile curving his lips. "Wanna have a little fun?"

"Of course!" Victoria said. "But what do we do first?"

"Well," he said as he removed his clothes, "We should take off these, shouldn't we?"

"Yes," Victoria nodded. Then, in her underwear, she strode over to the black box, rifling through it. "Let's see what's in here," she said, having to lean down a bit and giving Kai a good view from behind. Then she turned around. "Did you want to do me first? I figure since you went to all the trouble to make this room, I should let you have the first experience."

"And I have no problem with that," Kai replied. "What was it that you were saying about slapping me earlier?"

"That was when I was miffed at you for making all that noise," Victoria said. "I'm over that now."

"Well, that's a real shame," Kai replied, and then gave her a slap.

"What was that for?" She asked.

"If you're not gonna do it, then I might as well," Kai shrugged.

"You—you-you!" Victoria slapped him hard, then pushed him over to the bed, ordered him up it, pulled some cuffs out of the box, put them on him, and then beat him soundly a couple of times with a paddle. "You know what I just realized?" She asked, leaning over him after turning him over and watching him wince, although he was still smiling.

"What, Vicky?" Kai asked, his breathing heavy. "What did you realize?"

"I realized I haven't eaten today," She said, grinning widely. Then thunder clapped in the sky and rain began to fall. "And since the weather is so terrible, I _really_ don't feel like going outside when I have a lovely little meal in here, willing and _eager_ to be eaten."

"Oh, _yes_ ," Kai nodded, his tongue going over his bottom lip as her hair brushed his chest and her nails raked his torso. She licked the small amounts of blood up, then went and got a whip from the box, bringing it down on him a couple of times and making him laugh. "Is that the best you can do? That hardly hurt."

"I don't wanna hurt you," Victoria told him. "I just wanna taste you…" she kissed his neck and then bit down as she held him.

"Oh, god, Vicky," he breathed. "Oh, god."

She finally let him fall back onto the pillow and once she'd licked up the excess blood from his neck, she fed him some of hers to heal him up. "Can't have you taking a bunch of time to recover when there's so much fun to be had.

"No," Kai said after swallowing her blood and then taking her in his arms to kiss her. "You're very right about that. I can't wait to take my turn with you."

"Yeah," Victoria smiled. "I can't wait either."

* * *

"It's lucky that it's you who's casting the spell, Margot," Kol said. "You're the one that Victoria would probably be least suspicious of."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" Amy asked. "I can be just as cool as my sister! And it's you and Klaus who are all chomping at the bit to storm in and rescue Victoria from a situation she doesn't even need to be rescued from. Therefore, I am _not_ the weak link here. If I had powers, I would have offered them up too."

"Yes, but you're not the one Victoria's descended from, are you?" Margot asked. "That's why they picked me. It's nothing against you."

"Of course it is!" Amy cried. "Did you just hear what your, for lack of a better word, husband, said about me?"

"I'm sure he didn't mean to offend you," Margot said before shutting her eyes and taking a deep breath. Then she turned to the rest of them. "So…I'm the only one who's going? Anyone else want to come?"

"Sure, can I?" Kol asked, grabbing her and giving her a kiss. "I don't know if you could spend all that time without me."

"I don't know," Margot told him. "Can you be subtle and not ruin things?"

"Yes," Kol replied. "Just do the spell and let's go."

So Margot did the spell, and then she and Kol disappeared into the vortex, with Amy wondering if she'd ever see her sister again.

* * *

The next time Kol came to consciousness, he was on the floor of a pink and purple room with lace curtains and stuffed animals in every corner. "What the hell is this?" He asked, sitting up. "Why did we land in Barbie's dream house? You know I won't live in a place like this."

"Oh, I know,"Margot nodded. "The good news is, we can redecorate quite easily."

"But why the hell does it look like this in the first place?" Kai wondered. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I was eight when I first designed this place, all right?" Margot said. "And this is the aesthetic eight-year-old me liked. However, now that's changed."

She shut her eyes and the pink and purple room became an Art Deco style living room, now done up in black, white and red. "Is that better?"

"Yes," Kol nodded. "Much. Now, where's the phone? I want to see if I can call Victoria."

"Can't you just wait a bit with that?" Margot asked. "You're so single-minded!"

"You're right, I'm sorry," Kol apologized. "Want a drink, darling?"

"Yes, thank you," Margot said. "I would love one."

When they were sitting on the sofa with their wine glasses in hand, Margot said, "Tell me seriously: why are you so intent on saving Victoria? What is there to worry about? Kai's not that much different than you."

"And that is exactly why I don't want her anywhere near him!" Kol remarked. "Not that I'm not proud of how I am, or that I want to change, but do you really think that it would do her any good to be with someone like me?"

"If he makes her happy, then yes," Margot replied. "That's why I think we should keep our noses out of it and just be here and do our own thing. It wouldn't hurt us to focus on each other, you know."

"Yes, I know," Kol replied and ran his fingers through his hair. "But I really can't think of anything else until I know Victoria is okay."

"I don't know how to help you with that," Margot told him. "I'm not sure you can reach her from here."

"That's no excuse not to try," Kol told her. Then he said, "Where's a phone? I don't see one."

"Just imagine that one is here and then it'll show up," Margot sighed.

Kol did that and then picked up the receiver in his hand. Not knowing Victoria's number, but knowing the witch rule that if you thought about someone hard enough, they would contact you, he pictured his granddaughter with all his might and soon he heard the phone ringing on the other end.

"Yes?" Said a stunned sounding Victoria. "Who is this?"

"It's me, Victoria, Grandpa Kol," Kol said. "How are you? Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Victoria replied, still sounding a little stunned. "How did you reach me?"

"I just thought of you and soon we were talking," Kol told her.

"Well, that's good to know," Victoria said. "I'm really fine, I swear. Where are you?"

"Your grandmother has one of those dimension things too," Kol informed her. "We're there now."

"Wow," Victoria cleared her throat. "That's very unexpected." There was a silence and then she said, "Well, it was nice talking to you. Goodbye." Then the line went dead.

"Well, that ended earlier than I wanted it to," Kol huffed as he put the phone down.

"At least she let you talk to her," Margot pointed out before patting the couch cushion beside her. "Come sit by me now."

"All right," Kol nodded. "I'm coming."

* * *

"Do you really think that Kol and Margot will be able to last long in a place where it's just the two of them?" Klaus asked Amy as they got ready for bed that night. They'd been in such deep discussion about what Kol and Margot had done that they'd decided to stick with blood bags that night instead of actually going hunting, so all the focus could be on the talking and not on anything else.

"I don't know," Amy replied. "I mean, I suppose it could be a good thing since they've been growing apart recently. Gives them a chance to reconnect. So even if the plan to contact Victoria doesn't work, at least they still come out ahead."

"That's what I was thinking," Klaus nodded. "And if my brother gets a bit of cabin fever, I think now that Margot has her powers again, she's more than equipped to handle it."

"I agree," Amy told him. "Now, let's stop talking about them, okay?" She kissed him and bit his lip, licking the blood off gently as Klaus took her in his arms and nibbled on her neck.

"How can I say 'No' to an offer like that?" He asked. "I don't think it would be wise to."

"No," Amy shook her head with a grin. "It wouldn't."

Klaus couldn't stop looking at her. She wore the same look on her face as when they'd gone hunting with Selina and Elijah. For someone who supposedly was so against hunting, she'd really enjoyed herself that day, just as she was enjoying herself now.

"What?" Amy asked. "Why do you keep looking at me like that?"

"I just…I can't believe how much you've changed," he said. "This time, you're a much better vampire."

"Thank you," Amy told him. "And so are you."


	10. Alerting The Enemy

"Will you tell me who was on the phone?" Kai asked Victoria, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her as he asked the same question for the millionth time. "Who the hell was calling us?"

"It was my grandpa," Victoria replied, and after pushing him off her, began tugging at the sleeve of his shirt. "Come on, let's go beat on each other. You'll want to when I tell you the rest of the story, and really, I don't mind!"

"Now hang on," Kai told her and moved her hand. "What did your grandfather say? Are they coming for you?"

"Probably at some point," Victoria nodded. "Grandma has a dimension thingie of her own, it seems, and she and Grandpa are there now. I didn't give him time to tell me much more than that."

"You know what this means, don't you?" Kai asked. "It means we have to leave here!"

"Not necessarily," Victoria replied, giving Kai and kiss and stroking his hair. "I'm sure Grandma will hold Grandpa off for a while. There's no need to rush."

"Fine," Kai said. "But when he comes, I'm going to fight him. You know that, right? And you better not stop me."

"No," Victoria shook her head and smiled. "In fact, I find it rather flattering."

"Good," Kai nodded. "I might even let you help me. That would be a shock for Grandpa, wouldn't it?"

"I don't know," Victoria shrugged. "Probably, cause he still thinks I'm some damsel in distress here against my will, but…you never know. I've not exactly told anyone how close you and I are. Just that I'm okay with being here. Although, as you can see, they don't really believe me."

"And why would they?" Kai asked. "They think of me just like everyone else does."

"Do you like that reputation or not?" Victoria wanted to know.

"Sometimes I do," Kai replied. "I enjoy being feared after all the stuff my mother put me through. But it's really a bitch when I'm trying to be nice, you know."

"Well, at least _I_ know what you're really like," Victoria pointed out. "That's a good start, right?"

"It's all I need, really," Kai nodded.

"So…to the play room?" Victoria asked.

"We have to do something first," Kai replied. He took her to his room and made her watch him pack.

"What are you packing for?" Victoria wanted to know.

"I think it should be obvious," Kai replied without looking at her. "We need to be prepared for leaving after your family's dead bodies are littered all around us."

"Oh, I hope we don't kill _everyone_ who comes in the rescue party," Victoria protested. "Not _everyone_ is as bellicose as my grandfathers. In fact, I bet my grandma and my mom would side with us once they knew I was okay."

"I don't know if I'm willing to take that chance," Kai told her shortly. "Go pack, please. It would make me feel better if you did."

"Okay, okay," Victoria nodded. "I'll go pack." She did and then she and Kai put their bags by the door.

"There we go," Kai said with satisfaction. "Now we're prepared to go whenever they come for you." They went to the playroom then, but Victoria could tell his heart wasn't in it. Kol's call had really jarred him and she didn't quite know what to do about it.

* * *

He found it increasingly difficult to let her out of his sight now that he knew Kol could reach them and was most likely coming for them any day now. Even at night, he felt he needed to keep an eye on her.

"I'm not protesting about being in the same bed with you," Victoria told him as she brought in an extra pillow to sleep on. "I just don't know about the reasoning for it."

"Well, just pretend that there's other reasoning than the actual reasoning," Kai told her. "I'm not letting you out of my sight until this whole stupid thing with your grandfather comes to pass."

"All right, all right," Victoria nodded. She put her second pillow on top of her first pillow, took her large t-shirt off so she was standing at the bedside in just her underwear, and then climbed in next to him, taking him in her arms, hugging him tight, and giving him a kiss.

"I'm being gentle tonight," she explained before kissing down his neck. "Because I really don't think you need to be worked up any more than you already are."

"I'm not worked up," Kai huffed as he slipped off her panties. "I'm fine. I don't need to be coddled like a child."

So, with a sigh, Victoria cuffed him, and then proceeded with her more gentle ministrations. After he'd climaxed a few times, she changed course and did some full body massage. That put him to sleep, and once his eyes were closed, she took the cuffs off, turned off the light, and pulled the blanket over both of them to try and get some sleep herself.

* * *

"So Victoria answered?" Sean asked as he and Eva sat with Klaus and Amy.

"Yeah," Klaus nodded. "She did. And she seemed all right. But Kol's going after her and is gonna bring her out, I think."

Sean sat back and said, "I hope Kol doesn't take her at her word and brush this off. For all we know, Kai's threatening Victoria's life and told her to say what she said. I want to be part of the rescue party when you go get her."

Eva sighed. "I really think we're all worrying about nothing. When we first called him up, Victoria didn't seem scared of Kai at all. I don't think she'd let him intimidate her like that. I think she'd beat him up or something first."

"Oh, you just want to think that Kai is innocent because you're in love with him," Sean said testily. "It's clouding your judgment."

"No, it's not," Eva told him firmly. "But I think that your dislike of him is really clouding yours."

"It's not just dislike," Sean told her. "It's justified hatred. No one can handle him. No one."

"Well, whatever," Eva said. "I think you're wrong and this is all just a bunch of nonsense and petty revenge."

"I'm not just thinking of myself," Sean told her. "I'm thinking of Mary too. She's still pregnant, you know. And even though Kai didn't like his mother, he'll probably go after Mary or Liam because Liam killed Aunt Edele before Kai could."

"I didn't even think of that," Klaus remarked, and then stood up. "I'm going to go call Savannah and tell her to keep an extra close eye on Mary."

"I don't think she could look any closer than she's already looking," Eva replied. "And really, Mary can take care of herself. She really did a number on Kai just for touching her. It was like she set him on fire or something."

"Yes, but that extra power that she has is mainly due to her pregnancy," Amy remarked. "After the baby's out, she could be more vulnerable."

"Okay, so we know that Kol is going after Kai," Sean said. "I'm going to be on the team too, and I'm sure that Gwen at least would be _open_ to the idea."

"Oh, she would," Eva nodded. "She really doesn't like him all that much."

"She reminds me of Aunt Edele that way," Sean remarked. "The only difference is that Gwen seems to be able to actually bond with people, whereas that was definitely not Aunt Edele's best thing. So me, Kol, Gwen…anyone else who's willing to go face my crazy cousin in person? I really think we should go and do this as quickly as possible."

"We don't actually need to make a list," Amy replied. "I'm sure we'll all pitch in when we need to."

"And don't you think it would be smarter to wait?" Eva asked.

"Why in the world would we do that?" Sean wanted to know.

"Well, since Kol just called her, Kai is probably expecting someone or several someones to come barging in any minute," Eva pointed out. "If the goal is to catch him and keep him out of the way while you rescue Victoria, wouldn't it be better to lull him into a false sense of security and make him think it was just a fluke, and when he's thinking he's safe, _that_ is when you pop up and go to the rescue?"

"Maybe," Sean replied. "That's actually not a bad idea."

"I still don't support this idea to rescue Victoria, since she doesn't need to be rescued, but if you insist on coming up with a battle plan, it should at least be a competent one, don't you think?"

"Yes," Sean agreed. "I suppose you're right. Whatever would we do without you, Princess?"

"You'd really fuck up, that's what," Eva replied with a smile and kissed him.

* * *

Since she'd come up with the plan for Victoria's rescue, Eva thought it only fair that she warn Victoria about what was coming. It took her awhile, but she finally managed to figure out how Kol had done what he'd done. She made up a dimension for herself (cause after some research, she discovered that's the only way you could reach someone in another dimension) then picked up the phone and called Victoria.

Her call was not met with pleasure, as it came in the middle of the night and woke Kai up. "Damn it!" He swore. He got out of bed and swore again as he stubbed his toe on the bed, and even _that_ didn't rouse the soundly slumbering Victoria. "I thought this was supposed to be a place of solitude," he muttered to himself as he reached the very insistently ringing phone. "But now it seems like everyone and their mother has our number." He picked up the phone and growled into it, "What do you want?"

"Kai?" Said a female voice. "You probably don't remember me. I'm Victoria's cousin, Eva."

"Oh, the cute blonde?" Kai smiled. "Sure, I remember you. "What's going on?"

"I'm sorry to contact you at this time of night, but…I thought I should let you know that a whole bunch of people are coming for Victoria. Not just Uncle Kol."

"Let me guess," Kai said dryly. "Did Sean want to be in on the plan too?"

"Yes," Eva sighed. "They even roped me into helping them. I came up with the plan they're going to use. They won't come any time soon cause they want to lull you into a sense of false security. I can't tell you _when_ they're gonna come precisely, but it'll probably be a bit of a wait."

"You know, you're not so bad," Kai told her appreciatively. "Does Sean know you're helping me?"

"Do you really think I'd be talking to you if he did?" Eva asked.

"Good point," Kai told her. "Well, thanks for the help."

"You're welcome," Eva told him. "And I'm sorry again that I called so late at night."

"Well, since you gave me the news you did, I forgive you for that," Kai told her. Eva told him goodnight then, and they both ended the call before Eva left her place of solitude and ended up back at home, grateful when she reached the bed and climbed in next to Sean that he was still sound asleep.


	11. Dreams Of Fire

"I think it's a really good idea to have someone going after Kai," Liam told Sean as they sat in the living room of Liam and Mary's apartment. Liam had his arm around Mary and her head rested on his shoulder as she tried not to fall asleep, and he rubbed her stomach. "For Victoria's sake, of course, but I can't pretend like I don't have my own personal reasons to want him caught and put away." He kissed Mary's red hair as she yawned. "Why don't you go get some sleep?" He suggested. "You don't have to stay out here with us."

"I want to, though!" Mary insisted, sitting up straight and seeming more awake. "I'm not gonna be banished to my room and miss out on all the fun."

"Well, it's not so much 'fun' as 'planning for battle'," Sean replied. "And thanks to Eva, we have a plan that will give us a leg up."

"I know it's sort of our fault that Kai got away," Eva told Liam. "I'm trying to make up for that."

"No, none of what happened with Kai was our fault!" Sean told Eva testily. "His actions are his own, and we had nothing to do with them, other than the fact that we promised we'd watch him and traffic held us up. If his getting loose is anyone's fault, it's James' for hiring that really incompetent man to watch him when _anyone_ else would have done a better job."

"Yes, okay," Eva nodded. "We've been over this a million times. You and Kai have issues, and I really think you need to deal with them in order to be effective in dealing with him."

"No, I don't!" Sean replied. "He's bad and he deserves to be locked up somewhere!" He paused. "What am I worried about? At the rate he's going, he's probably in line for the ultimate punishment by now. Once he's caught, I won't have to put up with him much longer."

"What's the ultimate punishment?" Mary asked. "Taking away his powers?"

"For most witches and warlocks, that _would_ be it," Sean said. "But then there are the really troublesome people like Kai who have to be dealt with more decisively and taken out of the way so they don't endanger more people than they already have."

"What would they do with him then?" Eva asked. "What's there left to do?"

"Kill him, obviously," Sean said simply, his voice betraying no emotion whatsoever.

"Kill him how?" Eva asked. "Poison, beheading, what?"

"No, no," Sean shook his head. "Usually, it's done one of two ways: burning at the stake, or hanging. In Kai's case, they'd probably take the longer, more painful route to prolong his suffering."

"You mean, they would actually tie him to a stake and set him on _fire_?" Eva asked, her eyes wide. "But that's totally barbaric!"

"But sometimes it has to be done for the safety of the community as a whole," Sean told her. "I can think of quite a few people who will rest easier in their beds at night once he's been set alight."

"And let me guess," Eva said dryly. "You'll be first in line to put logs on the fire?"

"Don't you look at me like that," Sean told her. "I know that with the way you grew up, you view psychopathic behavior with more leniency than I would, but you have to understand that he's done wrong and needs to be punished for it."

"True," Eva nodded. "But shouldn't taking his magic away be enough? I mean, _clearly_ , he and Victoria have reached some understanding and she knows parts of him that a lot of other people don't. She seems to be able to keep him in line, so I don't see why he needs to _die_. I hope Astrid will take everything into account, including the progress Kai's made with Victoria before she makes a final decision about his life."

"Well, it's a good thing that his final fate doesn't rest with you then, isn't it?" Sean asked, his lips a thin line. "Cause then we'd _all_ be doomed." He got up and strode from the room then as Mary and Liam looked at Eva.

"You two probably think like Sean does, don't you?" She asked them. "I mean, I wouldn't blame you and you probably hate me as much as Sean does for thinking about Kai the way I do, but…I'm sorry. I just…I don't want him to be killed."

To her surprise, Liam nodded. "I killed his mother, remember. And she…she is the _worst_. Kai may be bad, but he's the lesser of two evils compared to Edele McCullough. I truly think that being around someone like Victoria would fix him for good, and that it was only his mother's negligence that made him the person he is now."

"So you'll talk to Astrid and see what you can do about stopping him from being killed when he's caught?" Eva asked hopefully.

"We honestly don't know if he's going to be killed for sure," Liam told her. "We're just dishing out vigilante justice right now and Sean's saying what he wishes would happen. As much as he would like it to be the case, that doesn't mean it will be." Then he looked at Mary. "How do _you_ feel about all this?" He asked. "Do _you_ feel as strongly about Kai as your brother?"

"I really don't know _how_ I feel about him," Mary admitted. "I mean, he hasn't actually _done_ anything to me, and when he tried, I set him on fire, so I'm not exactly quaking in my boots. And really, I trust you to protect me from him, so there's another reason not to think of him as a real danger. He's really as much a victim of Edele as I was, if you think about it."

"So you'd save him too?" Eva asked, gently hugging her cousin. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! Now all I have to do is talk the stupid out of my extremely obstinate spouse and then we'll be able to keep Kai right where he is."

"Talk the stupid out of Sean, Grandpa, and Uncle Kol, you mean," Liam corrected her. "That will take some time."

"I can do it," Eva shrugged, undeterred. "I'm not worried at all."

* * *

"Where are we going when we leave here?" Victoria asked Kai.

"I don't know," Kai shrugged. "Just trust me. I'll find somewhere for us to go where we'll be safe."

"I know you're gonna hate me for saying this, but shouldn't we stay here until we can figure out another place to run off to?" Victoria asked. "We'd be much more vulnerable if we have no place to go and are just out in the open."

Kai sighed and threw his bag down on the floor. "Fine," he said. "But you don't know how much time we have. I want you to be safe, Vicky! Do you get that?"

"Yes, I get that," Victoria nodded, running her fingers through his hair and kissing him. "And I'm really grateful. I know you don't want to go to prison or see me taken away, and I don't want that either, but there has to be a more reasonable way to go about this. Maybe I can talk to someone and get us a place. What do you think?"

"If you can find someone who'll actually help us, I suppose you can make the calls," Kai replied. "But I doubt you'll find anyone to help at all."

"I will," Victoria promised. "Don't worry."

* * *

But not worrying was clearly a very difficult thing for Kai. That night was restless for both of them as he tossed and turned, crying out in his sleep, and Victoria tried to find a comfortable spot on the mattress where she would be out of reach of his kicking and thrashing. It was finally when she fell off the mattress and hit her head that she stood up, turned on the bedroom light, and shook Kai awake.

"What?" He asked. "What's going on?"

"I'm going to ask you the same question," Victoria said, climbing back onto the mattress, taking him in her arms, and stroking his hair. "It sounds like you've been having bad dreams all night. Wanna share with me?"

"Fire," Kai said, his eyes wide. "Lots and lots of fire. My mother, when I was a little boy, she would tell me that misbehaving little boys would get burned up in fires and I've hated them ever since."

"Oh, my god!" Victoria cried. "That's terrible! You shouldn't tell your children that!"

"Yeah," Kai nodded and squeezed her tighter. "No kidding. And because I've been a very bad boy, they're probably gonna burn me at the stake when they catch me."

"Does the Council really do that?" Victoria asked. "Even if they do, that doesn't mean it will happen to you. I can talk to my mom, and she'll talk to Liam, who can talk to Astrid about your sentence. You don't have to die."

"Oh, I'm sure Astrid will just trip over herself to do right by me, seeing as how I ruined her wedding," Kai sighed.

"Listen to me," Victoria told him. "You've fucked up a lot in your life, okay? But knowing you like I do now, I know there's a good guy in you somewhere and one of the big reasons you're such a mess is cause your mother neglected you and abused you. That is not your fault, okay? Just because she thought you were terrible and worthless doesn't mean you are."

Kai kissed her and said, "Thank you. That's…that's one of the first times someone's ever said that to me."

"I figured as much," Victoria told him and hugged him again. "You and I both need our sleep so…is there anything I can get you thinking about so that you don't have nightmares?"

"There might be one thing," Kai nodded. He got off the bed and pulled something out from under his side of the mattress: a picture of a smiling man wearing a leather jacket and gray sweater who had dark eyes and longish, shaggy dark hair. "This."

"Who's that?" Victoria smiled. "Is that…is that your _father_? How did you get this? From the sound of things, your mother wanted to pretend like he never existed!"

"Yeah, but…before I was born, things were somewhat good between them, or Mom was at least infatuated enough not to wish him any harm, so him and my cousin Sean's parents went out on a double date. They took a group photo and then when things went sour and Mom started mistreating me, my aunt took pity and gave me this picture of my dad which was taken from that group photo so I'd at least know what my sane parent looked like."

"That's nice," Victoria said and lay her head on Kai's shoulder. "Do you know anything else about him?"

"Well, he was a good guy, apparently," Kai said. "Liked music and motorcycles, stuff like that. He and Mom met at some bar and she decided to bring him home one night, and things progressed from there."

"Was he human?" Victoria wanted to know.

"Yep," Kai nodded, "He was. That was probably another strike against me in my mother's eyes. I was a reminder of the stupid, lowly human man she was dumb enough to procreate with."

"Hey, we're going over to the dark side now," Victoria said and kissed him. "There's no need to do that. We're thinking about happy things."

"Right," Kai nodded. "Sorry about that." But it became harder for him to focus after that, and finally Victoria just gave up on trying to get him maintain a cheerful train of thought and let him drink himself to sleep while she sat up the rest of the night watching over him to make sure he didn't have any more nightmares.


	12. Naughty And Nice

In the midst of all of Kai's gloom, he woke up one morning to find snow falling as he looked out the window and the sound of cheerful music going through the house. Feeling curious, he got out of bed, walked to the door, and then jumped back as it opened.

"Oh, I'm so glad you haven't left the room yet," Victoria told him as she came in and closed the door behind her. "Cause I have a surprise for you and I don't want it to be ruined by you seeing it before I could come and get you. Come with me."

"Should I close my eyes?" Kai asked, feeling very intrigued.

"Nah," Victoria shook her head. "You'll get more out of it if you keep them open." She took his hand and led him out of the room, everywhere Kai looked being decorated like Christmas.

"How long have I slept?" He asked, looking awestruck. "It's not _really_ Christmas, is it?"

"No, but here, does that matter?" Victoria asked. "Merry Christmas, Kai."

They sat down at the table and split large gingerbread men and drank glasses of milk for breakfast, then Kai's eyes widened as he looked at the tree and all the presents under it. "Which ones are mine?" He asked.

" _All_ of them," Victoria told him. "You can open them when you're done eating."

"Okay," Kai replied and then shoved the rest of his cookie in his mouth so eagerly that Victoria had to whack him on the back a couple of times. Then, they both ran over to the tree and Victoria watched Kai opening his presents.

"I hope you like them all," she said. "I guessed on what you'd like for some of them, so if you want something else, that's okay."

"Oh, of course not!" Kai told her. "I'm sure you got me great presents!"

"Don't be so sure of that until you open them and see," Victoria told him.

Of course he started with one of the bigger ones, which was one of those tins that have the caramel, cheese, and regular popcorn in them. "You think you'll be able to eat all that?" Victoria asked.

"Yes," Kai replied, reaching into the cheese corn section for a handful already. "You know me so well." After a couple more handfuls, he opened a smaller present that was a key chain of a picture frame with Victoria's picture in it.

"I figured you should have something to put keys on when we get out of here," she explained. "It's probably a little self-centered to give you something with my face on it, but I don't care."

"You shouldn't," Kai smiled. "I like it."

After a few more presents of food were received favorably, she hit her first stumbling block.

"What in the world do you think I'm supposed to do with this?" Kai asked, holding up a green sweater that had three gingerbread men on it who looked like they were tap dancing and each holding a candy cane in one hand. "I know you mean well, but…it's hideous!"

"It's a tradition to wear an ugly sweater on Christmas," Victoria told him. "Don't worry. I have one too."

"Well, good," Kai replied. "It's nice to know I don't have to suffer alone." But he humored her and put the sweater on anyway. After the presents were opened, Victoria looked out the window and said, "Looks like there's quite a bit of snow out there. You wanna go and make the most of it?"

"Sure," Kai nodded. "But just know that if we snowball fight, I'm going to kick your ass."

"Oh, whatever!" Victoria told him, smile of challenge on her face. "You just go on thinking that, and prepare to be proven wrong!"

* * *

Unfortunately, Victoria was beaten at snowball fighting and she was beaten soundly. "See?" Kai told her as they made their snowman. "I _told_ you I would beat you at snowball fighting."

"Well, that's because you cheated!" Victoria replied. "You used your magic and I didn't until the last minute."

"You didn't make a rule that said I couldn't use magic," Kai told her. "If you didn't want me to use magic, you should have said so."

"Good point," Victoria conceded. They made their snowman and then Victoria took Kai's picture next to it. It was when she put the camera down that he noticed how wet she was and that she was visibly shivering.

"Okay, that's enough," he said and picked her up. "We need to get you inside so that you can be warm."

"All right," Victoria agreed. "That would be nice."

They got inside and he carried her to the bathroom in his bedroom which had a large tub. He filled it up and then helped her out of her wet clothes and into the water. "Too hot?" He asked.

"No, it's fine, thanks," Victoria assured him and relaxed into it. "It's nice."

"Good," Kai replied, then undressed and followed her in, washing her gently with a loofah.

"Sorry if my hands are still cold on your bare skin," Victoria told him as she ran her fingertips over his chest and kissed his neck. "But I just have to touch you."

"That's fine," Kai replied and kissed her. "I really don't mind." They stayed in the tub until both of them were sure Victoria was warm enough, then got out and put on underwear and bathrobes before heading back into the living room.

"What do you want to do now?" Victoria asked.

"Let's just sit for a bit," Kai said. "And this might seem like kind of a stupid request, but…will you read me _A Christmas Carol?"_

"Sure I will," Victoria replied. She called up the book, then she and Kai both sat on the sofa. He put his arm around her shoulder as she opened the book and began reading.

* * *

After it was all over and Scrooge had learned to appreciate Christmas, Kai played with his presents and they didn't really do anything else until nightfall, when Victoria woke up from a nap and smelled turkey and chocolate cake. She came out and gasped at the table that was once again covered with food.

"Did you do this?" She asked Kai.

"You made breakfast, so I thought I should make dinner," Kai replied. "I thought we could be fancy for at least one meal."

"I see no problem with that," Victoria replied. She zapped herself into a red velvet dress with long sleeves and took a spot at the table that seemed to have a present next to it. "What's this?" She asked.

"It's your present," Kai smiled. "But you're not allowed to open it until after dinner."

"You didn't have to get me a present!" Victoria smiled. "I _know_ what a good Christmas is like. This was all for _you_!"

"I know, but…I wanted to get you something anyway," Kai replied.

As Victoria ate her turkey and drank her egg nog, she couldn't help but wonder what the present was. When all the dishes had been cleared away, she brought the box to the living room and opened it. It looked like a small TV. "What is this?" She asked.

"I-I wished for something that would allow you to talk to your parents face to face," Kai told her. "And this is what I got. I know you haven't seen them since you've been here with me and I thought you probably missed them by now."

"Yeah, I do," Victoria admitted. "Thank you very much."

"You're welcome," Kai replied. "You wanna use it now?"

"Not yet," Victoria replied. "We can figure out how to get this working tomorrow. Now we watch movies."

"Fine," Kai replied. "But nothing sappy like " _It's a Wonderful Life."_

"All right," Victoria nodded and zapped up _How The Grinch Stole Christmas_ and _Nightmare Before Christmas_ instead. "Are these all right?"

"Never seen them," Kai replied. "Are they overly sentimental?"

"Well, the end of _The Grinch_ is a little, but not most of it," Victoria assured him. "And in _Nightmare_ , a skeleton kidnaps Santa and takes over Christmas himself."

"That sounds exciting," Kai remarked. "I think those are acceptable movies. You set them up and I'll go make the popcorn."

"All right," Victoria nodded. "Sounds good."

When he came back, she'd not only set up the movies, but also put a fire in the fireplace. When he saw it, he tensed a little, but she put a reassuring hand on his arm. "It's okay," she said. "There's a screen in front of the fire so it's contained."

"All right," Kai nodded and then went to sit down. "That's good."

They watched the movies, ate popcorn, and finished off the rest of the egg nog, and by the end of _The Grinch,_ Victoria had fallen asleep. Kai kissed her cheek, picked her up and carried her to bed, and as he tucked her in and turned off the light, he whispered, "Merry Christmas, Vicky. Merry Christmas."

* * *

While Kai and Victoria were doing things like having a delightful Christmas in their home, in the real world, things weren't quite so rosy. When Liam got to work the next day to tell Astrid about their plan with Kai, James stopped him on the way in. "You have to go home," he said.

"No, I don't," Liam shook his head. "I have to talk to Astrid. Why in the world would I need to go home?"

James leaned in closer and said in a worried voice, "You're the one who killed Edele McCullough, aren't you?"

"Yes," Liam nodded. "Why? Has Kai returned and decided to take some sort of vengeance against me as a last hurrah before he's hauled off to have his powers taken away?"

"No," James leaned in close and shook his head. "I'm afraid it's _much_ worse. When we got into your office this morning, it was a mess. And we saw…" He sucked in a breath and opened the door to Liam's office. "You might just want to have a look for yourself."

When Liam came into his office, his chair was facing backwards. He turned it around and let out a cry, as he saw his own double sitting in the chair, horribly mutilated, and obviously dead. And when he looked under the desk, he was even more frightened by the sight of Mary's body.

"Is she okay?" Liam asked James. "Real her, I mean."

"Yes, we called, but it was after you'd gone," James assured him. "I think Edele has come back somehow to get revenge against you for her death, and that we'll all be relieved about Kai when she's through. If this is what she did to your doubles, what she has in store for you isn't gonna be pretty."

"Oh, damn," Liam swore. He made the doubles disappear and then rushed home to check on Mary again and tell her what happened.

"She's seriously back?" Mary looked at her husband with frightened eyes. "Liam, what the hell are we gonna do?"

"We're getting out of here, that's for sure. We can go stay with your parents, and then I'll call Regina and tell her about Edele showing up. Maybe if she tells Kai, we can get some much needed help."

"Oh, I hope so," Mary replied. "I really do."

* * *

They got in the car and drove to Jonathan and Savannah's, and while they were there, Liam called Regina and told _her_ what was going on. Regina wasted no time in contacting Victoria, which happened just as they had finished setting up the phone-like device Kai had gotten her the day before.

"Are you serious about Kai's mom being back?" Victoria asked her mother.

"Yeah, Liam and the other people at the Council are pretty sure," Regina told her. "You think Kai could help us out?"

"I don't know," Victoria shook her head. "His mom is a bit of a sore spot for him and finding out she's back in _any_ form might put him in a bad place. Plus, I'm a little worried that even if he _does_ help, certain other people will take advantage of the fact that he's back in Council territory and use that opportunity to capture him. Thanks to Eva, I know that's coming."

"Pointed taken," Regina told her. "Just be careful, all right?"

"We will," Victoria promised her. "And tell Liam and Mary I'm thinking about them, won't you?"

"Yes," Regina promised. "I will."


	13. A Necessary Plan Of Action

"What did your mom have to say?" Kai asked. "Anything interesting? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I just wondered."

"Actually, I think it's something you should know," Victoria told him. "I debated whether to tell you or not because I don't want you to be upset, but I thought it would be the best thing to do."

"All right," Kai nodded. "What is it?"

"Somehow, your mother has come back from the dead," Victoria told him. "Her ghost, I mean. You knew she was dead, right? Or did you miss that because you were in jail?"

"No, I knew," Kai replied. "It was the first good day I had in a long time when I found out. I was on the lam at that point, and I did a _lot_ of celebratory drinking. But it's really just like her to come back and fuck everything up for me."

"She's not after you," Victoria said. "Or at least you're not her primary target this time. She's after my mom's cousin Liam who works at the Council. He's the one who killed her. And knowing what she's like, if she's allowed to finish him off, she'll go after other people. But I repeat, her target isn't you."

"Well, that's a relief," Kai said. "We'll just stay here then and let the chips fall where they may. The marvelous men of the Council caught my mother once and I have no doubt they can do it again."

"That's it?" Victoria asked. She was really underwhelmed by his reaction. "Frankly, I was expecting you to be a little more worked up."

"Why should I be worked up when, for once in my life, Mom's not coming after me, she's someone else's problem, and I get to stay down here with you instead?" Kai asked. "Now, if you'd really _like_ to see me angry, we can go to the playroom and deal with it, but otherwise, I think I'll stay here and be as cool as a cucumber."

"Are you sure?" Victoria pushed. "You _can't_ just be all right. There have to be some unresolved feelings and it doesn't help you any to just keep them bottled up inside."

"I'm fine," Kai told her. "I promise. Now can we just leave it _alone_ please, Vicky?"

"All right," Victoria nodded. "Fine, sure. Whatever, Malachai."

"Thank you," Kai told her.

But she didn't keep that promise for long and kept pestering Kai about it (in a well-meaning way, of course) until he finally let out a growl of frustration, slamming her against the wall and squeezing her throat, baring his teeth as he talked. "How many times do I have to say the words 'Leave it alone, Vicky' until you get it through that thick head of yours? I know you think you're doing me a favor, but you're not. I think it would be better for both of us if you just went to your room and left me alone until you can go even just five minutes without mentioning my mother."

"No," Victoria choked out, a grin on her lips. "No, this is good."

"Oh, fuck it," he groaned. "Why don't my normal ways of intimidating people work on you?"

"Maybe cause I'm just as nutty as you are in some ways?" Victoria said and rubbed her throat as he dropped her to the ground. "Admit it. It's one of the reasons why you like me."

"I can't deny it's a plus," Kai confessed after a minute or so. "Get up, would you?"

"Fine," Victoria nodded. She got to her feet and then he picked her up, put her over his shoulder and carried her to the playroom.

"Sit," he told her firmly. "Stay."

"I like that we're in here," Victoria smiled. "It's good for you to finally deal with your feelings about your mother."

He slapped her hard across the face. "Shut up about that!" He yelled. "If I say that's what we're doing, you don't have to keep mentioning it!"

Although red rose in her cheeks, Victoria still grinned at him. "Why don't you tie me up?" She suggested. "It'll be easier for you that way."

"Oh, I'm thinking about it," Kai huffed at her. He then went to the box and got out handcuffs, a gag, and a blindfold. He demanded she sit down, put everything on her, and then thought about what to do next. When Victoria kept making muffled noises despite the gag, he, pulled her up from the chair, pulled her along after him to one of the walls of the room, demanded she strip down to her underwear, exchanged the cuffs she wore for the ones that hung from the ceiling and would keep her arms over her head, and then, after removing the blindfold from her eyes, went to grab a whip off the wall, and whipped her repeatedly until blood dripped in a stream from her stomach and arms, and there were tears in her eyes.

After he put the whip down on the ground, he got down on his knees in front of her and licked some of the blood off her stomach at a leisurely pace.

This made Victoria shut her eyes, her breathing becoming heaving and then transitioning into panting as Kai pulled her panties down to her ankles, then spread her legs and licked her thighs before slipping his tongue inside her.

"Damn," she breathed. "Oh, damn, what have I done to deserve this?" She strained against her restraints as Kai looked up at her, a wicked smile on his face, and removed his shirt before he put his arms around her and kissed her before nipping at her neck. "Are we going to talk about my mother again?" He asked.

"Well, if what's happened since you brought me in here is supposed to be some sort of deterrent," Victoria told him, "You really need to work on that."

* * *

"I'm so glad you're okay," Savannah told Mary. "You made a good decision to come here and stay with us."

"It was more Liam's idea than mine," Mary sighed. "Fucking Edele. Haven't I had enough problems cause of her? Why the hell did she have to come back?"

"Who knows?" Savannah replied. "Some people are just assholes, even after they're dead, and there's nothing you can do about it." She paused. "I'm gonna go call my father about this. Maybe it'll pull him away from the war council against Kai long enough so he can see what a _real_ threat looks like."

"I talked to Regina getting hold of Victoria and seeing if Kai will help us get Edele," Liam said to Savannah. "She said she'd pass it on, but I doubt he's gonna help us."

"And gee, I wonder why that is?" Mary said dryly. "Cause I know _I_ would be ready, willing, and eager to help a group of people who were gonna take me out of a place where I was perfectly happy and then throw me back in jail as payback for giving them exactly what they wanted."

"We wouldn't do that," Liam told her.

"You might not, but I know Uncle Kol and Grandpa would," Mary said. "And Sean doesn't seem to be inclined to play 'forgive and forget' either."

"Well, it really all is up to Astrid in the end," Liam replied. "We can hope as much as we want for Kai to get what we think he deserves, but in the end, she'll probably say that all he'll get is his magic taken away."

"And why are you talking like that would be a disappointment?" Mary asked. "Victoria seems to have him well enough under control when they're together. He only started misbehaving when they were separated. So by capturing him and taking him away from her, you're only gonna make him misbehave _more_."

"Oh, I suppose so," Liam nodded. "I'll try and talk to the others, but that doesn't mean they're going to listen."

Just then, the phone rang and Savannah went to answer it. She was gone for a bit and then came back to see Mary. "That was my father," she said. "Apparently, what happened at the Council was on the witch news and Mom was watching it, so Dad saw and it freaked him out."

"And he's coming to check on me because he's worried?" Mary asked. "How sweet."

So they waited and soon they heard a rapid knocking on Jonathan and Savannah's front door.

"Who in the world could that be?" Jonathan asked, leaving his library to come and see what was going on since the knocking had made it impossible for him to read. He opened the door and Klaus stormed in without so much as a 'Hello' for his son in law.

"Where's Mary?" He asked, not even looking on the sofa. "Have you heard anything? Is she all right?"

"Dad, she's sitting right there on the sofa," Savannah pointed at Mary, who gave him a small wave.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Klaus exclaimed and went to give Mary a hug before looking at his grandson. "Don't worry, Liam. I was concerned for you as well. I'm glad you seem to be all right."

"I didn't feel slighted," Liam told him. "It makes sense why you'd be more worried about Mary."

"Good," Klaus said and let Mary go. "So…who is this person who's out to harm you both?"

"She's Kai's mother," Savannah told him. "Liam killed her and now she wants revenge."

"If she's Kai's mother, we should definitely be more on our guard now," Klaus said. "If mother acts evilly, son would most likely be just as bad."

"Now we don't know that for sure," Mary told him. "He's a victim of hers just as I am."

Klaus looked at her with great affection and hugged her again. "You're a very good soul, Mary," he said. "Willing to give everyone chances, even when they've wronged you or caused you trouble."

"Well, in Kai's case, it's easy enough," Mary told him. "Kai's not done anything to me. I mean, he tried, but I came out ahead. I know you and Uncle Kol won't listen to me when I say this but…think about Victoria before you capture Kai. From the sound of things, she really likes him. And he just might like her."

"If he really liked her and cared about her," Klaus said, "He'd let her go."

* * *

"I'm a horrible person, Vicky," Kai told Victoria in bed that night.

"No, you're not," Victoria replied. "At least not as bad as you think. What's making you say this?"

"Well, a _good_ person wouldn't have brought you here in the first place," Kai told her. "A _good_ person wouldn't have stopped you from seeing your family, force you to serve him and use you for his own pleasure. I've done all that. And the most damning part of all: I don't regret any of it."

"In our whole relationship, the only selfish thing you've done is bring me here without asking," Victoria told him. "Everything else that I've done and everything else that I've felt…that's been my own choice. I chose to watch you when you were in prison and I chose to stay here with you now because…because I think I love you, in a way, and nothing else in my life could be as fulfilling as being here with you is. It might be weird, it might be twisted, it might be something no one but us understands. But it means something to me. I'm watching you slowly but surely become a kind, loving, good person, and I'm not giving up on you now, do you understand? The only way to get me away from here is to drag me away."

"Really?" Kai asked, a small smile on his face.

"Really," Victoria replied. "I wanna be with you, and I hope you wanna be with me."

"Of course I do," Kai replied. "You don't go through all the effort of kidnapping someone and bringing them to be with you in a place of solitude if you don't at least like them a little."

Victoria smiled. "And once Grandpa comes to take me away, you'll kidnap me back, right?"

"Damn right," Kai nodded. "Even if it takes forever, I'll kidnap you back and bring you home."


	14. No Way You Can Win

"What are you doing?" Victoria asked Kai as she woke up in his bed one morning and saw him cross off another day on the small calendar that sat on his bedside table.

"I'm marking down every morning I wake up in this bed," he said, turning around to face her. "Cause who knows how many more mornings I'll have?"

"You'll have _all_ the mornings," Victoria assured him and kissed his cheek. "Even if you get captured, I'm sure nothing really bad will happen to you."

"You're very optimistic," he told her. "Do I need to remind you of all the people I've pissed off over the years?"

"Do I need to remind _you_ that Astrid is nowhere _near_ as harsh as your mother, has seen someone just as bad as you be happy with the right kind of reinforcement, and also knows that I make you okay?" She wouldn't ruin that. I promise." She leaned forward and kissed him. "Even if you get captured, I'll be waiting for you when you come back," Victoria promised.

"You and the kids you think we should have?" Kai asked.

"Exactly," Victoria nodded. "So you don't think it's a crazy idea anymore?"

"I do," he nodded. "But at the same time, I think, 'What the hell?'"

"That's the right attitude," Victoria chuckled, taking him in her arms and kissing him.

"Are you sure you want to do this now?" Kai asked. "Have you taken your pills today? Should I run into the bathroom and get a condom?"

"No, not this time," Victoria shook her head. "That would defeat the point of what we're trying to do, wouldn't it?"

"Oh, right," Kai nodded as he pulled her to him, feeling her breasts press against his chest as her arms went around his neck and her legs went around his waist while she nibbled on his ear. "If we're trying to have babies, we can't do things that would stop that from happening, can we?"

"No, that would make it more difficult," Victoria agreed. She kissed him deeply and felt him slip inside her as the kiss broke and they pulled back to breathe. "Anything else we need to think about in preparation for our inevitable but hopefully not permanent separation?"

"Well, when they catch me, I have very little doubt that I'll be killed or at least badly wounded without blood to heal myself so…can you slip me some of yours?" Kai asked. "Cause I know that your uncle and your grandfather will be less than inclined to help me."

"Yes," Victoria nodded. "I will do that, cause it's _so_ important. I don't want you to be dead for good. That would suck."

"You're so sweet to me," Kai said and kissed her. "Okay, you're on the way to being pregnant, I know I'll have your blood so I can come back if I'm killed…anything else?"

"No," Victoria shook her head. "Nothing other than spend as much time together as possible. Both because who knows when I'll see you again after you get captured, but also, if we're reunited and I happen to have a baby with me, that won't give us much alone time either, will it?"

"No, it won't," Kai shook his head. "Good point." He kissed her again and lowered her down on the mattress so that he was looking down at her.

"You know, you're very handsome," Victoria observed. "I don't know if I've told you that before. Have I?"

"Are you saying that you wouldn't compliment me again if you've already done so?" Kai asked. "I don't think I like that."

"No, no," Victoria shook her head and then shook out her hair on Kai's bare chest. "That's not how I meant that. I meant that if I haven't told you you're handsome yet, I'm horrified that I waited so long."

"Oh, you don't need to be horrified," Kai told her. "I think it goes without saying that you think I'm handsome. Or else you wouldn't want to fuck me so much, right?"

"True," Victoria nodded. "That's a very good point."

They fooled around a little longer and then Kai's stomach growled. "Okay!" He said and rolled off Victoria. "Eating time!"

"What a big surprise," Victoria smiled indulgently. "The two things you listen to in this world are your stomach and your penis. And sometimes me."

"Well, that's just not true," Kai told her. "I listen to you a lot."

"Only if I haul you off to the playroom, tie you up and beat the crap out of you," Victoria said. "Why do you think I carry food around so much?"

"Are you jealous?" Kai asked.

"No, of course I'm not jealous," Victoria assured him. "I'm learning to work my way around it. So, do you want to eat now or not?"

"'Or not' will never be an option for me," Kai replied. He got out of bed, put on a pair of boxer shorts, and then, after Victoria had put something on, grabbed her hand and brought her to the kitchen where Kai zapped up pancakes, bacon, and eggs and they continued to discuss how to deal with the dark cloud hanging over their future.

"We'll get through it, you know?" Victoria told him as she reached across the table and took his hand. "Of course it would be much better if my grandfathers weren't overprotective nutcases who are incapable of letting me live my own life, but I'm sure that if you have my blood, you won't be dead for good and can come back to me."

"And do you think you'll be able to handle a new vampire and a new baby at the same time?" Kai asked.

"Of course," Victoria nodded. "There's really nothing else to do, so we'll make it work." She paused. "And I suppose there's one more thing we could do just to cover all our bases…if you'd be willing, that is."

"What?" Kai asked.

"I was thinking that maybe we should get married," Victoria said. "Like actually, really married. If we're just a couple, I can totally see my grandfathers pulling us apart for good with the excuse that you're just a phase and I'll find someone better, but if we're married…that will give them less of a leg to stand on."

Kai smiled. "All right. Why the hell not?" They held hands and closed their eyes, and then there was a knock at their door. They opened it, and the judge and witness they wished for were standing in their doorway.

"Go ahead and come in," Victoria told them warmly and showed them to the couch. "Just let us dress in something nice and then we'll get the show on the road. But first, can I get you some coffee or something?"

"Yes," the judge nodded. "I would like that. Do you have cream also?"

"Yes," Victoria nodded. "We do."

After the judge and witness had their drinks, Victoria and Kai went to change. "What color will your dress be?" Kai asked. "I think my tie should match." He then turned around and threw a box at her. "Oh, and there's a ring for you."

"Well, aren't you sweet?" Victoria smiled and opened the box, kind of surprised that the ring was exactly the right size, even though she shouldn't have been. Once her ring and the red dress she'd worn to Amanda's wedding were on (along with Kai wearing his same all-black suit and tie), they headed back to the living room and prepared to marry.

"Just a question," Kai asked the judge. "Do you have to do all the 'dearly beloved' stuff or is it okay to skip all that and get straight to marrying us?"

"Well, you could do your own vows," the judge replied. "That's not unheard of today."

"All right," Kai nodded. "Why not?" He took Victoria's hand, looked into her eyes, and said, "You know I'm not good with words, Vicky, but…I need you. I know it's selfish of me, but…I can't imagine anything other than waking up in the morning with you in our bed beside me. And it's funny because…after how my mother treated me, I honestly thought I'd never be able to see a woman as good. I thought I'd mistrust all of them, but you proved me wrong. When I brought you here, I thought you'd be mad at me. And sure you were, for a little bit, but then…then, somehow, you got beyond that and somehow decided that this is where you're supposed to be. Thank you for that, Vicky." He smiled. "Thank you."

Victoria nodded, took a deep breath, and said, "You're right, Kai. When you brought me here, I _was_ mad at you at first. I thought you'd behaved incredibly selfishly by taking me away from my family, and I thought I knew what my life here would consist of. But you proved me wrong. It took some time, and you're not completely there yet, but…you've shown that you're willing to repay my patience with you by opening up to me. By showing me that there really _is_ a kind, loving, and wonderful person in you that not everyone gets to see. Thank you for trusting me. Thank you for taking a chance when I know that that's _so_ hard for you. I love you for that, Malachai. I really do."

Then they got on with the business of being married. Victoria slipped the judge their names so that he could say what he was supposed to say properly and he got to it, looking at Kai first.

"Do you, Malachai John Parker take this woman, Victoria Juliet Mikaelson Hamilton, to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Kai nodded, a sweet smile on his lips as he put Victoria's ring on her finger (she'd given it back to him after she'd tried it on).

The judge then looked at Victoria. "Do you, Victoria Juliet Mikaelson Hamilton, take Malachai John Parker to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"

"Yes," Victoria nodded, putting Kai's ring on him. "I do."

"Then, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Kai then picked Victoria up off her feet, spun her around and kissed her deeply before breaking the kiss and setting her back down again. After everything was signed, Kai and Victoria were left alone and he asked her, "Do you think us being married will really matter to your father and your uncle?"

"Not to them, no," Victoria shook her head. "But it'll get more people on our side who'll be willing to tell them how unreasonable they are, and I think that's the best we can hope for."

* * *

"Where are you going?" Amy asked Klaus as he made his way to the door a few weeks later with a gym bag in hand that was weighed down with stuff.

"I'm just going to meet some friends and have a talk about things," Klaus told her. "There's no law against that, is there?" He moved the bag and it made a very obvious clanking noise.

"What the hell is in there?" Amy asked, even though she'd been told by Mary and Eva both what Klaus and Kol were up to with Kai and had chosen to oblige Mary's request to distract Klaus from that as long as possible. "Did you decide to finally listen to me and clean the attic out of all your junk? That deserves a hunting trip. We should go now."

"Ordinarily, I would love to, sweetheart," Klaus replied, putting the bag down to come and kiss her. "But now it's not a good time. I have to go meet my friends, and-"

He was cut off as Amy zipped away from him and took hold of the bag, looking through it. "Rope, a tire iron, a gag, some other heavy things…what the hell do you and your friends _do_ without me?" Amy looked up at him, her jaw dropping as she waited for Klaus to explain himself, although she had a pretty good idea of what he was going to say.

"Don't you try and stop me," he told her at last. "Kol and I need to get this whole Victoria mess taken care of and I promised I would bring the equipment to do it. He's figuring out how we're gonna actually get to her."

"And just _who_ is being tied up?" Amy asked, her eyes narrowed. "Kai or Victoria?"

"Both, if necessary," Klaus replied. "We don't want Victoria to fight us, but he's probably got her so brainwashed that I bet she will."

"He didn't get her brainwashed," Amy told him. "But he _did_ get her pregnant. Regina called to tell me. So if you insist on going through with this stupid plot, even though it does nothing but satisfy you and Kol's egos, at least be gentle with Victoria, okay? You're taking a woman and a baby away from their husband and father, so you at least owe her gentleness."

Klaus was so shocked by what Amy told him that when Kol (who Margot had allowed to leave the other dimension after he'd found a way to get to Victoria) told him about the breakthrough, he just said, "I wish I could be more excited, but I think Victoria's got us beaten and it appears we're too late. They're married, Kol. And Victoria is pregnant."


	15. Waiting For The Axe To Fall

"Well, look who's come back," Margot said as Kol stomped back into the living room of the other dimensional house via a magical key and sat down on the sofa. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Victoria is pregnant," Kol huffed. "And she and that _boy_ are married to each other!"

" _Really_?" Margot asked, her voice full of excitement. "Since she's pregnant and stuff, does that mean you won't separate her and Kai anymore?"

"Oh, you couldn't be more wrong," Kol told her. "Now we have even _more_ reason to get them away from one another. We can't have Victoria _and_ a child be corrupted."

"Would there be any point to telling you how stupid this idea is and how much Victoria will hate you if you go through with it?" Margot asked. "I love you and all, but I really don't think you'd be a better influence on the baby than Kai is. I wouldn't be surprised if Victoria tried to dagger you after this."

"Well, that's why I'm not asking you to help with this, okay?" Kol asked, turning on her with a hiss. "Mind your own business, and when I want your opinion, I'll ask for it."

"Okay, jeez!" Margot scoffed. "What is making you so crabby all of a sudden?"

"I'm sorry," Kol apologized, although his voice was curt. "I'm just not very happy right now."

"People who only focus on bad things and stick their noses into other people's business when they have better things that they could be doing often aren't," Margot said. "But seriously…are you _ever_ gonna lighten up and start focusing on us like you used to? Or should I be looking for another boyfriend?"

That question got a reaction out of him like nothing else she'd said had. "Would you really do that?" He asked.

"Well, yes," Margot nodded. "I mean, I love you more than anything and I don't _want_ to leave you, but I need to be shown that I have some sort of value in my relationships and since you now seem to be making this vendetta against Kai more of a priority, I don't want to be holding you back with my needs if you're not willing to make the effort so we can work."

Kol stared at her for a moment, decided she was serious, and then finally came to sit by her on the sofa. "I know you think I'm being an ass about this," he told her. "But I know what I'm doing. I know myself and I know men like that Kai, and I can tell that he's up to no good. I just want to stop Victoria from making a horrible mistake."

Margot took his hand then. "Do you think that I made a horrible mistake when I chose to be with you?" She asked.

"No, I don't," Kol shook his head. "But you and I had been around a while when we got together. We'd experienced other relationships. We'd made mistakes and learned how to handle them. The same can't be said about Victoria, can it? I would rather save her now, no matter how much of a villain that makes me, then have her learn things the hard way and suffer."

"Who says she's going to suffer?" Margot asked. "You just don't like Kai and are doing this whole ridiculous kidnapping thing so you don't have to look across the table at him at Thanksgiving. There's no other reason for this than that. And since she's pregnant, you're only gonna cause her more stress if you separate them. And do you really want that?"

"How many different ways can I say it?" Kol asked. "And maybe it would be good if she lost the child. Cause even if she decides to keep it, it's not like Kai will step in and be the child's father."

Margot rolled her eyes, said, "I think he would, since you did and he's supposed to be so much like you," and headed to her room, and when Kol had gone out again, she plotted what she would say when she went to tell Victoria and Kai about everyone who was coming for them.

* * *

"Do we have ridiculous husbands, or do we have ridiculous husbands?" Amy asked Margot as the two of them made up the beds in Rebecca and Eli's old cabin so that Victoria and Kai could use it as a hiding place until the baby was born or Kol and Klaus came to their senses, whichever came first. "It was so kind of Rebecca to let us know about this place."

"No problem," Rebecca said, coming up behind them and cleaning up the bedroom with a wave of her hand. "Eli and I haven't used this place since we changed houses and had Luke, so it's nice to see it getting some use, especially for as good a cause as this."

"I just don't understand those two at all," Astrid added. She usually didn't take a lot of time off of work, but she felt it was warranted this time so she could join Margot, Amy, and several other of their friends to get the house together and make a plan for Victoria's care after Kai was captured. "I didn't order them to hunt Kai down or anything. In fact, I think that where he is is really the best place for him if you ask me. I mean, he hasn't caused trouble for anyone since he took Victoria, and I think she's reached him in a way no amount of prison can. Things were calm until his mother came from the great beyond and decided she was gonna kill Liam." She chuckled. "Although I'm sure James prefers Edele anyway. The genuine challenge is good for him. Kai is nothing compared to his mother. And we're working to take care of Liam and Mary, of course, especially since Mary is pregnant and all. We have to protect the baby. We have to protect _both_ babies, Mary's and Victoria's."

"Yeah," Margot said. "Not that I think Victoria would purposely harm her baby, but if she has the feelings for Kai that she says she does, the threat of never seeing him again will probably cause her some stress, so she needs to be in a place where she can be watched and kept calm. I'd suggest to Regina that she keep her home with her and Declan, but Kol comes by from time to time and I don't want him to see her resting and suggest that she get an abortion or something ridiculous like that. He's already mentioned that once."

"Damn," Amy said in frustration. "Damn. It's just…they're both so _stupid!_ Kol and Klaus both! And I just…I wish I could stop all this. Klaus says that they have to rescue Victoria because Kai 'stole' her and no one steals things or people from the Original family and gets away with it."

"Sadly we can't, though," Margot replied. "We just have to let our stupid husbands do what they will and then help Victoria and Kai behind their backs. Speaking of…I'll be the one who tells them when Kol and Klaus are coming from them."

"All right," Amy nodded. "You do that. We'll all be waiting here." Then she looked at Astrid. "This would be easier if Kol and Klaus still had their magic so they'd be under the Council's control."

"Oh, I know," Astrid said and angrily plumped the pillow. "Believe me, I know."

* * *

Kai and Victoria were sitting hand in hand on the sofa and watching TV when all of a sudden, Margot appeared, causing Kai to jump and drop the remote. "Who the hell are you?" He asked, a gun appearing at his side, which he immediately picked up and pointed at her.

"Okay, I'm not gonna say 'Relax', but I came to tell you that you two need to leave," Margot told them.

"Kai, that's my grandma," Victoria told him. "You don't have to be worried about her. Put the damn gun down." Then she looked at Margot. "Are Grandpa and Uncle Klaus coming?"

"Yeah, they figured out how to get in here," Margot said regretfully. "You wanna come with me, sweetheart?" She looked at Kai, saying her next sentence to try and reassure Victoria. "He can come too."

"No, I'm going to stay and fight," Kai said, just as Margot had expected. "I won't just run off."

"I'm going to go though," Victoria told him. "Cause of the baby and all." Then she reached into her pocket and handed him blood she'd taken from a cut the night before. "You know what to do with this," she said before she gave him a kiss. "Good luck."

"Good luck," Kai said. "And Victoria…I'll see you later."

"You promise, Malachi?" Victoria asked.

"Yeah, Vicky," Kai nodded. "I do. You _and_ the baby." He grabbed her and gave her a long kiss, and then, with great reluctance, let her go and caught Margot's eye. "Take care of her, and our baby," he said. "Please."

"I will," Margot promised. "We'll get through this. Don't worry."

Victoria and Margot left then and headed for the safe house while Kai drank the blood Victoria had given him and just waited. He didn't have to wait long, though. Soon, Kol and Klaus burst through the door and after Kol tossed a bucketful of witch hazel-infused water on him to him to get rid of his powers and then he and Klaus tried to grab hold of Kai and drag him out the door. Kai had the upper hand for a little while until a punch to the face by Sean sent him sprawling on the floor and then his cousin pinned him down long enough for Klaus to hit him and Kol to tie him up so they could take him away. The hit didn't knock Kai out right away. He had just enough time to hiss a curse at Sean and spit in his face before he passed out and his kidnappers took him out, sneaked him into the council building, and threw him into a jail cell, with Kol beating on him until he was very dead, then laughing and going out for a drink with his cronies and not giving Kai another thought.


	16. All By Myself

Astrid was striding into her office one day when, as she turned on the light, she heard a noise and turned around, letting out a shriek when she saw an animalistic young man with bared teeth staring at her as he hunched in a corner of the room. "Oh, my god," she said quietly. "Oh, my god…" He knocked her to the ground before she said another word and sank his fangs into her neck. She let him go for a bit and then gave him some brain pain so he would back off.

"Help me," he said as the blood dribbled down his chin. "Help me…"

"Kai, is that you?" Astrid asked him, taking a brave breath and leaning toward him to get a better look at his face.

He nodded and repeated, "Help me. I'm a vampire. I've been eating security guards and hiding out for a few days."

"Obviously," Astrid nodded, getting the blood off her neck and standing up. "Come with me, tell me how this happened, and we'll figure out what to do." She paused. "Oh, but first I'll need to make you a ring, won't I?" She said. "It's no good making all this effort to keep you alive for your wife and your baby if we forget to do the most vital thing that can stop you from dying." She made him a ring, stuck it on his finger, and then told him sternly, "Don't you lose that. You do and you'll burn real quick if you step outside. I don't know if it would be less painful or more painful than the old burning punishments they used to do, but it will be painful for sure, and I know you don't want to go through that."

"No," Kai shook his head. "I really don't, if it could be avoided."

"So…what happened?" Astrid wanted to know. "Not that I need to guess too hard, but I want to hear it from you, just to be sure."

"Well," Kai took a deep breath. "As soon as Victoria's grandfather found out that I'd taken her and that we were starting to like each other, he and her uncle (along with a couple of other people) decided they needed to separate us for no good reason. I thought we'd be safe from that because we were in a solitary dimension and it's really hard to just get into those, but apparently they cracked the code, and decided they were gonna come for me. Victoria knew this and gave me a vial of her blood so that if her grandfather ever _did_ manage to kill me, I would still come back and we'd be able to be a couple in spite of him and anyone else who wanted us to be separated."

"And they came for you a few days ago?" Astrid asked.

"Yes," Kai nodded. "Margot told Victoria and I first and then took her to some sort of safe house. She offered for me to come too, but I wanted to stay and fight. But that didn't work and I was captured, dragged back here, thrown in a prison cell, and then her grandfather beat me to death with a bat. He didn't know I had Victoria's blood in my system though. If he had, I'm sure he would have handled the whole thing differently. Then, after I woke up and realized I had changed, I broke out of the cell, drank from a guard who was making his rounds, and then hid in your office until you should up this morning. That's what happened, down to the last second."

"Where's the guard?" Astrid asked. "Did you kill him? I assume you did, not having been taught how to handle your bloodlust yet, and all. Or being unwilling to even if you _had_ been taught how."

"Yeah, I did," Kai nodded. "I don't know why you'd expect anything different from me."

"Could you show me where you left the body?" Astrid asked. "Or do you even remember?"

"No, I do," Kai assured her. "Come with me."

As they left Astrid's office, she was very glad it was still early and not many people were around. That saved having to stop constantly and explain not only why a known criminal was loose and walking around, but also why she, Astrid, was walking around with him instead of actively trying to lock him up again.

"Here," Kai told her when they reached the cell where he'd been confined. "There he is. What an unlucky bastard."

Astrid frowned at him as she unlocked the cell. "We're gonna have a funeral for him. His family deserves that much after he died in the line of duty."

Kai scoffed. "My god, this is just like when I accidentally killed our fish and Vicky had a stupid funeral for it and made me come." He paused and sat down on the floor, glaring at Astrid and doing his best not to cry. "Damn it, why did you have to make me think about Vicky?"

"I didn't do it on purpose," Astrid told him apologetically. "Really." She then made him help her carry the body out to her car, they drove it to the hospital to be dealt with, and then after that, they talked about what to do with him.

"I bet you're gonna think of some really horrible punishment for me, right?" Kai asked. "Cause that's what I deserve after the horrible stuff I did."

"On the contrary," Astrid told him, "I understand why you did what you did. It's not your fault that you became a vampire, and I want to help you get in better shape so that when you're finally able to see Victoria and the baby, you're not an out of control monster who will unwittingly hurt them. You don't want to hurt them, do you?"

"Them, no," Kai shook his head. "Other people, I wouldn't mind hurting."

"Of course not," Astrid sighed. "Why am I not surprised?"

"So…" Kai told her. "How are you planning on getting me to be all civilized? Do you have any ideas? Any people on your list of acquaintances who won't run away in terror at the sight of me? It's not James, is it? You won't make me stay with James and his wife."

"No," Astrid shook her head. "Not him. I'm not an idiot. But someone close to him might do the trick."

"And who's that?" Kai asked.

"His in-laws," Astrid replied. "My daughter Helene and his husband. Liam's parents."

"Great," Kai replied. "Not that you're not wonderful for giving me a break and all, but I really don't relish spending time with your daughter. Unless she's somewhat like Vicky. Is she?"

"No," Astrid shook her head. "She's more like me."

Kai groaned and then said, "Wonderful. Just wonderful. Can't wait to meet her."

"Good," Astrid nodded. "You'll come back to your office with me while I talk to her, and then we'll go over to their house, okay?"

"Fine," Kai huffed. "Go ahead and do that."

* * *

"What did your mother want?" Adrian asked, coming up behind Helene and wrapping his arms around her as she put down the phone.

"She wanted to know if you and I would help someone for her," Helene replied. "I wanted to say 'Yes, of course we would', but then I figured I should probably run it by you first."

"Your mom isn't dumping another one of her charity reform cases on our doorstep, is she?"

"Well, yeah," Helene nodded. "It's Kai Parker, the guy James complains about having to catch all the time."

"And what does your mother want us to _do_ with him?" Adrian asked.

"Well, apparently, your father and your uncle Kol plotted to kill him because Kai married your cousin Victoria and that pissed Kol off a hell of a lot. They kidnapped Kai and Kol killed him, but he didn't know that Kai had Victoria's blood in him at the time, so now he's a vampire, and since Victoria is pregnant, she can't be of much help to him. Mom wanted to know if we'd help him out a little and get him back to normal, or at least make him stable so he won't harm Victoria or the baby. Can we? Please?"

Adrian sighed, running his fingers through his curly blond hair. "Normally I wouldn't relish having to babysit a lunatic, but I guess since my father had a hand in why he is the way he is, I should help him out. Call your mom back and tell her we'll take him."

"Thank you!" Helene cried and gave her husband a kiss. "I'll help you deal with him, I promise, since bringing him here was my and Mom's idea. You won't have to handle him alone."

"Oh, I better not," Adrian replied, then went to his room for a few minutes of peace and quiet before Astrid's latest cause was brought into their house.

* * *

"Victoria, sweetheart," Regina told her one morning as she came into the bedroom where her daughter was wide awake and staring at the ceiling after a restless night. "You need to try and get some rest. Or at least have some blood."

"I can't sleep," Victoria replied. "Every time I close my eyes, I see Grandpa killing Kai. It scares the hell out of me."

Regina sat down beside her, pulled her up to sit, and then put her arms around her. "It'll be all right," she said. "Astrid called. Kai's a vampire now. He's not dead, at least not all the way. And she's sent him to stay with Adrian and Helene until he becomes safe, and then I'm sure that you'll be reunited with him again."

"I better be," Victoria told her mother. "This being away from him is killing me!"

"I know this is gonna be a hard thing to ask you to do," Regina told her. "But you need to stay as calm as possible so you don't miscarry." She paused. "Unless you want to."

"No," Victoria sat up with a determined look. "That would make Grandpa too happy. I'm not just gonna give up, Mom. This is the baby of the man I love, and even if I never see him again and this kid is all I have left of him, I'm gonna let it live precisely for that reason."

"Good for you," Regina said and hugged her. "I'm very proud of you."

"Thank you," Victoria told her. "I'm proud of me too." She paused. "Can I have some blood? And then I think I'll try and take a nap."

"That's a good idea," Regina told her, getting up to go get her blood. "I'll be back soon, all right."

"All right," Victoria said as she pulled the blankets over her lap. "I'll be right here waiting for you unless I have to go and be sick. Then I'll be in the bathroom."

"Noted," Regina told her and left the bedroom to go get her daughter some nourishment while feeling very glad that she'd managed to cheer up at least a little bit.


	17. Love On The Telephone Line

"There he is," Helene said when she heard the doorbell ring. "It has to be my mom and Kai. I don't know who else has any reason to come visit us at the moment. Liam and Lenora are too busy with that Edele business, and Felicity…well, we hardly ever see her." She and Adrian headed to the door and as Helene had guessed, saw Kai standing on their doorstep while Astrid gripped his shoulder tightly so he couldn't run away while he drank from a blood bag that was half-empty. "Hello, Mom," Helene said. "And Kai. Come in, please."

"Well, thank you very much," Kai told her after putting the blood bag down at his side for a moment. He went in and then he looked around. The place's decorating scheme was something like 'English country cottage' and clearly had more of Helene's influence in it than Adrian's, but that was okay cause he had rooms in the house that were decorated more to his taste, with dark colored walls and lots of really heavy dark furniture. "This place is a lot nicer than the prison I've lived in for most of my life. I think I'll like living here." He sat down, looked at Helene and said, "So what's the plan? Small room and bread and water for me?"

"No, of course not!" Helene replied. "We have a nice room made up for you already. Would you like to see it?"

"Sure," Kai replied, stepping toward Helene with a smile on his face and taking her hand to kiss it. "You and I will probably need to get to know each other real well since you'll be helping me." And even as he made a mental apology to Victoria, Kai couldn't help but sweep his gaze over Helene's body until Adrian stood in front of her and held Kai at a distance. "Actually, since _I'm_ the vampire, I'll be the one helping you. I can see why my father wanted you dead; you're kind of a pain the ass, aren't you?"

Kai just smiled. "Not to everyone," he told Adrian. "But you seem just the type that would think of me that way. So when things get difficult, you only have yourself to blame." He then turned to Helene and offered her his arm. "Can we go see my room now?"

"Sure," Helene nodded, but didn't take his arm. "Follow me." Leaving her husband to talk with her mother, she led Kai to a simply but nicely decorated room with a dresser, a desk, and a bed covered by a dark blue comforter. "This is where you'll be sleeping until you've learned to control your bloodlust."

"Do you have a phone?" Kai asked her as he sat down on the bed to check the mattress firmness.

"A phone?" Helene repeated. "Who are you wanting to talk to?"

"Well, Victoria, obviously," Kai said, a touch of impatience in his voice. "I wasn't told I couldn't have contact with the outside world."

"Of course we have a phone," Helene replied. "We even have more than one. But I want to ask my mother if it's okay for you to talk with people first. I don't want to do anything wrong."

"All right," Kai rolled his eyes. "You go and ask Astrid and I bet she'll tell you that it would be fine."

Helene did so, her question met with a surprised look by her mother.

"Of course he can talk to Victoria!" Astrid nodded. "That would be ideal, as a matter of fact, since them seeing one another isn't a good idea."

Helene nodded. "That's what he said you would say, but I wanted to be sure."

"Helene, this isn't supposed to be some punishment for him," Astrid told her. "He's already been punished, thanks to Kol. This is just so we can be sure that he's going to be safe around Victoria since he's a vampire now. We don't want her or the baby to come to any harm because Kai couldn't control himself."

"Of course not," Helene nodded. "We certainly don't." She paused. "And what about his powers? Since he was killed, can he get them back?"

"Well, yes," Astrid nodded. "Considering the very unfair way he lost them. But I want to wait a little while for that. Give him some time without them so he'll use them in a better way when he gets them back."

"Ah," Helene nodded, her dark eyes full of understanding. "All right. I just hope Adrian doesn't kill him before he gets to that point."

"That will be your job," Astrid told her daughter firmly. "To make sure that Adrian keeps hold of his temper. Because if he's killed, it will definitely be a tragedy for Victoria and we don't want that."

* * *

"You feel bad about your part in Kai's murder yet?" Amy asked Klaus. "You should by now."

"Oh, here we go again!" Klaus huffed. "Amy, I didn't murder him! Kol did! Yell at him and not me."

"No, I'm not," Amy shook her head. "You might not have had a hand in his murder directly but you still tied him up and dragged him away from his home."

"He evaded the law and kidnapped my niece," Klaus said. "If Kol, Sean, and I hadn't brought him back, someone else would have."

"Not necessarily," Amy replied. "Astrid wouldn't have pushed it, since he seemed to be behaving perfectly well where he was and Victoria was fine. But because you did what you did, now Adrian has to deal with training him. I hope he calls you to complain a lot. It would be the perfect comeuppance for you."

"If he calls to complain, I'll apologize," Klaus told her. "But if you ask me, that Kai deserves everything he got. No one steals anything from my family, especially not other family members."

"I'm sure I've heard this before," Amy replied. "And if you ask me, Victoria didn't really act like she was stolen. She seemed okay, and shouldn't it be her feelings that dictate what's done about the situation?"

"No!" Klaus shook his head. "She was stuck taking care of a lunatic and no one should have to put up with that."

"Some people find it a nice challenge," Amy told him and played with his hair. "I know I do."

"Aren't you the master of the backhanded compliment?" Klaus asked.

"I've learned a thing or two over the years," Amy nodded. "Now, you have to promise me you won't go near Kai ever again. Do you promise?"

"Fine, I promise," Klaus huffed. "Now can we stop talking about this?"

"Yes," Amy nodded. "Now we can. Want a drink?"

"Sure," Klaus nodded. "And make it a double."

* * *

"Well, look who's up and about?" Declan smiled, his blue eyes bright as his daughter came into the living room of her new house and he gave her a hug and kissed her hair. Though she was usually under the care of women, her father had been allowed to visit too, of course. "Are you all right? Can I get you anything?"

"I'm good, actually," Victoria said. "Thanks, though. This is one of those rare times where I don't feel like I wanna die, so I thought I should get up and walk around a bit while I can."

"That's a good idea," Declan nodded. "Your mother went out, so that's why I'm here. Along with the fact that I just want to see you, of course."

"Well, thanks, Daddy," Victoria told him. "You wouldn't happen to know where a phone is around here, would you?"

"Yes I do," Declan replied, zapping up a landline phone. "Right there."

"Thanks," Victoria said.

"You're welcome," Declan told her and got up. "I'll go somewhere else for a little while so you can have your privacy."

When he was gone, Victoria called up directory assistance and asked for Adrian and Helene's number. Then she made the call, barely able to contain her excitement as the phone rang.

* * *

"You have a phone call," Helene told Kai as he prepared to go in the shower after getting back from a hunting lesson with Adrian. He'd done well with the "hunting" part, it was the "restraint" part that was still something of a problem for him. Fortunately, Adrian hadn't pushed too hard this first time.

"Who is it?" Kai asked, although he should have known.

"I don't want to tell you," Helene smiled. "It will ruin the surprise." She handed him the phone and left him alone as he put it to his ear.

"Hello?" He said. "Who is this?"

"It's me, Malachi!" Victoria cried. "Who else do you think it would be, silly?"

Kai was so surprised that he dropped the phone on the floor. He swore and fumbled around, finally getting a hold of it. "Vicky! I can't believe we're talking!"

"What was that crash?" Victoria asked. "You didn't faint, did you?"

"No, I just dropped the phone cause I was so surprised to hear your voice," Kai replied. "How are you?"

"I've been better, I've been worse," Victoria replied. "I think I'd be much better if you were here with me."

"I would definitely say the same," Kai replied. "You'd be much better at helping me out with my vampire stuff than Adrian is. He's very impatient, that man."

"Well, what are you doing to irritate him?" Victoria asked.

"What makes you think I would be doing anything?" Kai asked.

"Cause I know you," Victoria told him. "Being away from you for a little bit didn't make me forget. Be nice to him. The sooner you learn what he's trying to teach you, the sooner they'll let you near me again. If you fight it, you're just gonna make it a longer wait for both of us."

"All right," Kai promised her. "I'll try and control myself."

"Thank you," Victoria told him. "So…what are you wearing?"

"I could be wearing nothing if that's what you want," Kai told her. "Just give me a minute." He put the phone down and then began slowing stripping off his clothes describing every action to Victoria

"Oh, damn!" She said in a breathy voice once he was standing naked in the middle of his room. "If you look as good as what's in my head right now…what am I saying? Of course you do! I just wish I could throw my arms around you and…" She went on to describe what she'd like to do to him, most of it happening below the belt and in a slow and leisurely fashion. Luckily, he'd put the phone against his ear by that point so that Helene and Adrian wouldn't hear, climbed into bed and pulled the sheets over himself, and then, as Victoria continued talking, he began touching himself under the blankets. His moans soon gave her pause. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yes," Kai nodded. "I'm very good. Just keep talking please. I find your voice very soothing."

"It sounds like 'arousing' would be the better descriptor," Victoria replied amusement in her voice. "You are such a dirty man."

"Well, as I no longer have my woman with me, I have to amuse myself somehow," Kai told her with another request to keep talking. "You have such a beautiful voice."

"I'll do that," Victoria said. "But I don't know how much longer I'll be. Morning sickness, you know."

"Right," Kai nodded. "Is it bad?"

"It's not pleasant, but I'll get through it," Victoria said. "Mom told me it doesn't last forever. And neither will this stupid situation."

"No," Kai agreed. "We'll see each other again. I love you, Vicky."

There was a silence on the other end then. Kai thought Victoria had disappeared, but just as he was about to end the call, she said in a very emotional voice, "I love you too, Malachai." Then she burst into tears, and the call ended, leaving Kai alone in bed for a minute or two before he dressed again and Helene called him into the kitchen for dinner.

* * *

Kol was lounging on the sofa of his and Margot's house and looking very smug when she came up and hit him in the face with a pillow. "I bet you're pretty proud of yourself, aren't you?" She asked. "Killing Kai like that and all."

"Yes," Kol nodded. "One of my better plans. Now we can get Victoria back here, send her to the hospital to deal with the child, and everything will be back to normal."

"I have to say, I'm very proud of you," Margot told him.

"You are?" Kol asked. "Nice to know you've finally come to your senses and are starting to see things my way." He strode over to her and gave her a kiss, then, as Margot held him close, a dagger appeared in her hand, dusted with white oak. She then ran it through Kol's back and then let him go, his eyes wide and a curse on his lips as he dropped to the floor in an immobile heap.

"You stabbed your granddaughter in the back," Margot said and wiped off her hands as she stared into his still face. "How do you like me doing it to you? Don't worry, though. This won't be forever. Just until Victoria is reunited with Kai and has her baby. Then I'll bring you back."


	18. Kai And Vicky's Difficulties

"How was your talk with Victoria the other day?" Helene asked Kai as they washed the lunch dishes together. "I hope it did you some good."

"Yes, it…it really did," Kai nodded. "The only way it would have been perfect is if I could have seen her in person."

"Oh, I know," Helene replied and put a hand on his shoulder. "I know you don't wanna be here, and would rather be with Victoria, but you know why my mother sent you, right?"

"Yes," Kai sighed and dried another dish. "I don't want to hurt my kids either."

"That's good," Helene told him. "Mom said you weren't as bad as everyone painted you and I think I believe them. Of course, Adrian would say something else entirely, but don't you mind him. He's always been a bit of a sourpuss."

"Really?" Kai replied sarcastically. "I had no idea."

"What are we talking about?" Adrian asked as he came into the kitchen for a drink.

"Just what a big pain in the ass you are," Kai told him, a smirk wide on his face.

Helene watched as Adrian's hands balled into fists and he growled and showed his teeth. "You're lucky it's not a full moon, you asshole," he snapped at Kai before punching him in the face and saying to Helene, who was trying to calm him down, "How long do we have to keep him here? Can't we just throw him out on the street?"

"No, we can't do that!" Helene told him. "I promised my mother that we'd take care of him until he was better adapted to being a vampire."

"You do realize that the last time you did a favor for your mother that got me upset, we fought for twenty years, lost one of our children, and destroyed the entire city of New Orleans, right?" Adrian asked. "Do you really want to repeat that sort of thing?"

"No, I really don't," Helene told him firmly. "And whether or not that happens is up to you. The big fight happened because you lost your temper and didn't talk to me about why you were angry like a reasonable person would. Would you like to now?"

"What's the point?" Adrian sighed. "No matter what I tell you, it's not going to fix anything."

"What makes you say that?" Helene asked. "It might if you just try." She looked at Kai. "Would you excuse us for a minute? You can take a break with the dishes until I come back."

"You can't leave him _alone!"_ Adrian cried in exasperation. "Helene, what are you _thinking!_ "

"Why shouldn't we leave him alone?" Helene asked.

"Well, he's one of your mother's charity cases, isn't he?" Adrian asked. "She pulled him out of prison! For all we know, the second we turn our backs, he's gonna steal all the valuables in the place and run away!"

"You know, I never thought of that," Kai told him, a grin spreading over his face as he advanced toward a silver tea service on a cart in the corner of the kitchen. "But that's really not a bad idea." He took hold of a teapot and then set off running.

"Oh, fuck!" Adrian swore and ran after him.

Helene stayed where she was because she was pretty sure that Kai was only doing what he was doing to get a rise out of her husband and not truly doing anything terrible. After a few seconds though, she thought she might have to intervene when Adrian caught him. Her instincts were good because by the time she found the pair, Adrian had pinned Kai to the floor and was pounding on him pretty hard, even as the teapot lay lonely and forgotten beside them.

"Hey, now!" Helene cried and tried to push Adrian off Kai as she saw that he had a black eye and his nose was broken and bleeding. At the rate Adrian was going, the rest of his face would probably be black and blue soon too.

But Adrian didn't budge. At least not until Kai took his face in his hands and kissed him on the lips.

"Oh, god!" Adrian cried, scrambling off Kai and spitting while Kai got up and Helene tried not to laugh. "What the fuck did you do that for?"

"That's usually what happens with Victoria and me after she beats me up like that," Kai told him with a smirk. "And can I just say that you're a terrible kisser and I'm very disappointed?"

Adrian didn't respond. He just gave Kai a hard shove and then strode away.

"Was that really necessary?" Helene asked as she helped Kai to his feet.

"Yes, it was," Kai nodded. "He was hurting me and I wanted to see the look on his face! _You_ even thought it was funny. I saw you trying not to laugh."

"Okay, so maybe it was _a little_ funny," Helene admitted. "But don't you go making a habit of it, or I'll turn you into a goat without hesitation."

"Tell your husband not to make a habit of beating me up and I won't," Kai replied. "It's really a very simple thing. You wanna finish with the dishes now?"

"All right," Helene nodded. "And it might be best if I come out hunting with you tonight."

"Really?" Kai asked. "Do you know how to help me?"

"Yeah, I was a vampire briefly, so I know the process," Helene nodded. "Not to mention I've watched Adrian hunt since we were kids. That will give him time to recharge and the two of you can start off on a better foot tomorrow."

"I doubt that will happen, but I'll try as long as he does," Kai promised her as they headed back to the kitchen.

* * *

Regina and Declan took her to her doctor's appointment alone on the day a couple of months later when Victoria was supposed to find out whether her baby would be a boy or a girl because Mary had gone into labor the night before and a fear of Edele coming for some sort of retribution made Astrid want to put a guard on her.

"Whatever kind of baby I have, it's probably gonna be _huge_ ," Victoria remarked as she walked into the hospital with one hand in each of her parents'. "I mean, _look_ at me! I guess this is one positive thing about Kai not being around; he doesn't have to look at me being the size of a barn."

"Oh, you're beautiful," Declan told her. "Really."

"Thanks," Victoria said and flushed a little. When she was being looked at, the nurse gave a gasp. "What?" Victoria asked and tried to sit up. "Is something wrong with the baby?"

"No," the woman smiled. "She's fine, see?"

"Yeah," Victoria nodded as she looked at the shape on the screen. "Wow. She. We're having a girl."

"And her brother is fine too," the woman continued, pointing at another smaller shape hiding near the edge of the ultrasound. "He's just a little shy."

 _Now_ Victoria really made the effort to lean forward the best she could over her stomach. "So, what you're saying is that there are _two_ babies in there?" She asked before turning to her parents. "Mom, Dad, is that what you heard?"

"Yeah, that's what we heard," Declan nodded with a smile and put a supportive hand on her back. "Are you okay?"

"I'm just a little woozy," Victoria replied. "It's a good thing I'm sitting down."

As they walked out of the hospital a little while later with Victoria's extra prenatal vitamins in her purse, she said, "Now Kai better get his butt over here. I'm not raising two babies by myself."

"You won't have to," Regina said. "We'll help you until Kai is stable enough to be around people. Better to let him take his time than have him come home too early so that he does something awful."

"Yes," Victoria huffed. "I suppose." As they walked by the bathroom, she said, "I know I just went when we left the hospital room, but I have to go again. That daughter of mine seems to be treating my bladder like it's some sort of trampoline!" She then ran off toward the bathroom while Regina called after her, "All right, you go. We'll wait here."

* * *

After Victoria came back from the bathroom, they got home without any further incident and she eagerly ran to the phone to call Kai. The line was busy, however, and she slammed the receiver down in frustration. This process was repeated two more times until finally, on the fourth try, she managed to get hold of him. "Why did it take so long for me to reach you?" She cried when he answered. "Are you ignoring me now?"

"No!" Kai assured her. "Adrian and Helene have been on the phone all damn day talking to their son about his baby. This is the first time I've had a chance to get near it in ages. Why are you so angry? What's got your panties in a bunch?"

"Because I wanted to tell you that I found out stuff about our babies today and I thought you were ignoring me!" Victoria told him.

"Did you say 'babies'?" Kai asked. "As in, more than one baby?"

"Yes," Victoria replied. "We're having a boy and a girl. Are you happy about that?"

"Of course I'm happy!" Kai told her. "Overwhelmed, but happy."

"Good, you better be!" Victoria told him. "After all I'm going through to give you children. If you weren't happy, I would come over to Adrian and Helene's and kick your ass. I don't care _how_ unstable you are."

"Helene says I've been making improvements, actually," Kai replied. "I apparently am still a bit of a risk, but I'm getting better."

"Well, whatever you're doing to make yourself still be a risk, just stop it, will you?" Victoria asked irritably. "I don't want to be raising two babies by myself forever."

"You won't have to," Kai assured her honestly. "I'll be on my best behavior by the time the babies are born, I promise."

"Cross your heart and hope to die?" Victoria asked.

"Yeah," Kai replied. "Cross my heart and hope to die."

"I gotta go now," Victoria told him. "The fun side effects of pregnancy are kicking in."

"All right," Kai replied. "Take care of yourself, Vicky."

"I will," Victoria replied. "Behave yourself, Malachai."

"For you, I will," Kai told her. Then he said goodbye one more time and hung up as Victoria ran to the bathroom.


	19. Trouble At Home

"What do you _mean_ you daggered Daddy?" Regina yelled at her mother when she came to tell Margot about Victoria's twins. "Mom are you out of your _mind?"_

"Oh, don't worry," Margot scoffed. "It won't be forever. Just until Victoria has her babies. Then it'll be too late for him to get in the way. I even have his body close by. Would you like to see it?"

"You know I have a high tolerance for twisted things, but this is really going over the line," Regina replied as she backed toward the door. "I know Daddy had problems with Declan and me allowing Victoria and Kai to be a thing and saying that it was okay for Victoria to go on with the pregnancy, but what you did…that wasn't the way to handle it! I'm sure that if we talked to him, he would see reason. Or at least know not to blame his grandchildren for something that isn't their fault."

"Fine," Margot replied. "If you're so sure I'm wrong, go pull the dagger out."

Victoria was about to, but then thought about what Kol would do to Kai and how that would affect her pregnant daughter, wondering if just maybe her mother had a point. It would only be until the babies were born, after all.

But she wasn't even sure about _that_ decision.

"I need your advice," she told Declan later.

"Of course," he told her. "How can I help you?"

"Well, as you know, my father is very critical about the things we've let Victoria do where Kai is concerned," she said. "He was outspoken about us letting her deal with him for her after school job, and he had an even _worse_ reaction to Victoria being kidnapped and getting pregnant. But you know all this."

"Yes," Declan nodded and massaged her back. "What is it that I _don't_ know?"

"Mom's stuck a dagger in him," Regina told her husband quietly. "There's only one way to stop anyone from my family and that's sticking a white oak covered dagger in their chests. It doesn't kill them, but it immobilizes them until the dagger is removed. Mom says that she's gonna keep Daddy daggered until Victoria has her babies, and while I kind of get her reasoning, it still doesn't sit well with me. Should I keep him where he is, or should I rescue him and bring him here with us where Mom can't get to him?"

"I think that if you have any nagging feelings that what your mother did was wrong, you should rescue your father," Declan told her. "We can deal with his negativity about Victoria ourselves and maybe even bring him around. But if he stays around your mother, I think he'll kill her, and we don't want that."

"No," Regina shook her head. "We certainly don't. Let's go get my father."

* * *

So late that night, they did. They zapped themselves over to Kol and Margot's and then Victoria let them in with her key. The house was dark and Declan and Regina held each other's hands as they carefully made their way around furniture and other knickknacks, their way lit only by a flashlight, doing the best they could not to make any noise that would awaken Margot, even though Regina was sure that she would let them take Kol with them anyway. However, in that scenario, there was still a chance that they would be refused and Regina didn't want to risk that.

"Do you remember where your father is being kept?" Declan whispered, changing his grip on Regina from holding his hand to walking behind her with a hold on her waist. "I'll be a lot quicker if you know."

"Of course I know!" Regina whispered back impatiently. "Do you really think I would bring us storming over here if I didn't have any idea about what I was doing?"

"You're right," Declan conceded. "It was a stupid question." They reached the room where Kol was being kept at last and thought they would get out home free, but then the door to the room opened, the light snapped on, and they found Margot staring at them.

"I _thought_ you would come back," she told her daughter.

"You said I could take Daddy if I wanted, so I am," Regina said. "Don't you try and stop me."

"Why shouldn't I if you're just going to take your father home and release him?" Margot asked. "I don't think you quite understand why I did what I did."

"Yes, I do," Regina nodded. "And I get it. I get that you think Daddy was a bit extreme about Victoria, but that's no reason to dagger him. I'll take him home, I'll talk to him, and I'll at least make it be a civil atmosphere. You should thank me, Mom. Declan and I are really saving your ass here. If you'd kept Daddy here and then pulled the dagger out of him, he would kill you for sure."

Margot sighed. "I'm really not scared of that happening," she said. "But if you want to take your father, like I told you earlier, go ahead. Just don't let your father do anything more to Victoria, all right?"

"Of course we won't!" Regina promised. "We'll do the most we can so that Daddy can't affect her life in a negative way. We're her parents. That's our _job_!"

"I hope so," Margot told them. "Cause with all she and Kai have been up to lately with no intervention from you, I was beginning to wonder about that. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Regina told her mother. "Sorry we woke you."

"It's not a problem," Margot told them. "I truly was expecting it."

By the time Declan and Regina carted Kol home, they were exhausted, so they stuck him in an empty room and went to bed. When they were awake and refreshed the next morning, the first thing Regina did was take the dagger out.

"I'm gonna kill your mother!" Kol cried as he sat up, his teeth bared and his gaze dangerous as he looked into Regina's blue eyes. "Where is she?"

"She's back at your house," Regina told him and tried to calm him down. "I know what she did was wrong, but hurting her or killing her won't help anything. It'll just make things worse."

"Yeah…worse for _her_!" Kol agreed. "Let me at her! I want to see her dead! It's been too long since I've had a good kill."

"I understand that you're angry, but killing Mom is not the way to deal with it," Regina said. "Let's talk. Do you understand why she daggered you?"

"Yes," Kol nodded. "Cause she's a bitch, that's why!"

"She did it because she's concerned about your behavior toward Victoria," Regina told him, trying to be patient. "She's afraid that with your present attitude, you might kill Victoria, her husband, or her children. Are her fears unfounded?"

"I still can't believe you let your daughter go anywhere near him," Kol scoffed with narrowed eyes, his anger at his wife forgotten for the moment. "What are you thinking? What's going through your head?"

"I'm thinking that since Kai is exactly like you, and yet _you_ managed to have a wife and a family, he should be allowed the same choice," Regina told him firmly. "Declan and I raised Victoria to be able to handle behavior like his. If we thought for one moment that she was really and truly in danger, we would have brought her back immediately. I know you're worried for her, and that's very sweet, but…you should have some faith in her too."

"And I would if she'd been engaged in other relationships before this," Kol said. "Instead, she just ran off with the first man she ever met without knowing that he could break her heart. That's why I'm so critical!"

"You would be critical of every boy or man who even _looked_ at her for more than two seconds," Regina reminded him. "And don't you try to tell me that I'm wrong."

Kol sighed. "Fine," he said. "I guess you're right. I suppose I can't interfere with Victoria's life anymore, but I just want you to know that I'm still not happy about this relationship."

* * *

"Stupid babies," Victoria muttered as she tossed and turned, rolling from her side to her back to try and relieve the pain. This went on until the early hours of the morning when she finally dozed off to sleep, a pleasant dream taking shape in her mind.

 _It started with Kai opening the bedroom door. Then he came in and stood by the side of her bed, helping her off with her t-shirt and her panties, then climbing in bed beside her and massaging her body, especially her stomach and back._

" _Oh, good…that's good," she said. Though he'd been clothed when he came through the door, when she looked up at him again, he was as naked as she was, a grin on his face. "You're beautiful, Vicky," he said._

" _No, I'm not," Victoria shook her head as she buried her face in his shoulder. "I'm fat."_

 _He put a finger over her lips and whispered, "I won't stand for you saying such a silly thing." Then, he took her in his arms and kissed her, and then after, she laid her head against his shoulder as he ran his fingers through her hair._

" _I miss you," he said to her. "How long until I see you again?"_

" _Soon, I hope," Victoria replied. "If my stomach gets any bigger, it's going to explode!"_

" _Oh, I hope that won't happen," Kai told her. "Who will look after me then?" He lay her back down against the mattress as she reached up and stroked his bare chest. "I'm the only one who gets to look after you," she said, feeling very territorial. "Anyone else tries and I'll kill 'em!"_

" _You will?" Kai asked. "Say that again. You being all vicious like that makes me tingly!"_

" _If anyone tries to come near you again," Victoria repeated much slower, "I'll kill 'em!"_

 _Kai kissed her then and her legs parted as he slipped inside her and she cried out, "Oh, Malachai, Malachai, Malachai!"_

 _His response was strange, however. He called her by her full name, which he never did, and his voice turned into her mother's, the illusion of the dream broken._

"Victoria!" Regina said, shaking her gently as she opened her eyes. "Victoria, are you okay? You were yelling about Kai in your sleep. You weren't having bad dreams about him being killed by your grandfather, were you?"

"No, it was the opposite in fact," Victoria replied. "The nearest thing to close physical contact I'll get with him until I see him again. It was going well until you interrupted."

"I'm sorry," Regina apologized.

"It's okay if you really thought I was in distress," Victoria told her mother and hugged her the best she could. "I think I want to try and get back to sleep now."

"All right," Regina nodded. "Hopefully your good dreams will come back."

"Yeah," Victoria nodded and closed her eyes. "I hope they will too."

* * *

"Okay, here's the plan," Helene said to Kai one morning. "Liam and Mary are bringing their baby boy over to visit us. I assume you're not interested in that, are you?"

"No," Kai shook his head. "If it were my own children, I'd feel differently, but I really don't want to be around any others."

"I thought you'd say that," Helene replied. "So if you don't want to stay here, I can send you to Klaus and Amy's. What do you think of that?"

"Well, it's not much better," Kai told her. "But I suppose it's better than nothing. Let's go."

Helene then took him over to Klaus and Amy's where Amy met them at the door. "Helene mentioned you might be coming today," she told him as he went inside. "This will be quite a day."

"Yes, especially for your husband. Is he around?" Kai asked.

"No," Amy shook her head. "When I told him there was a possibility that you might be visiting, he ran for the hills. At least for a bit, anyway." She said goodbye to Helene and then she and Kai sat in the living room to talk. "How is the arrangement with Adrian and Helene working out? Are you learning anything?"

"Yes, actually," Kai nodded. "Out of all the places Astrid could have stuck me, Adrian and Helene's isn't the worst place. Adrian gives me challenge and a bit of excitement in my day, I guess. And Adrian really likes me. I can feel it."

Amy chuckled. "Oh, I just bet he does," she said. Then she told him, "I'm surprised that you didn't stay to see Mary and Liam's baby, given that you're going to have a couple of your own eventually."

"See, that's the thing though," Kai told her. "Mary and Liam's kid isn't _my_ kid. Or kids, or whatever. I see no reason to have any sort of bond with it."

"And it'll just remind you what you're missing out on, won't it?" Amy asked.

"Well, I didn't think of that, but now that you mention it, yes," Kai nodded.

"I'm sorry," Amy told him. "I didn't mean to hit a nerve."

"It's all right," Kai told her. "I don't mind really. I'm used to it by now."

They talked until Klaus came home and said to Amy while glaring at Kai, "What's that doing in our house?"

"I told Helene he could stay here while they see baby Sean," Amy told him. "Is that going to be a problem?"

"That depends," Klaus replied. "How long is he gonna be here?"

Amy looked at the clock. "Probably not too much longer. You can go down in the basement and watch your TV, and I'll tell you when he's leaving, all right?"

"Fine," Klaus sighed. "If that's how it has to be." He stomped downstairs then until Adrian came to pick up Kai.

"Oh, well aren't you sweet?" Kai told him. "You didn't have to come all the way over here just for me."

"If you kiss me again, I'm going to stab you until you're dead!" Adrian threatened while holding Kai at a distance and letting out a deep sigh. "The things I'll do for my wife."

"Yeah, you really _are_ a good sport," Kai agreed. "Wanna go get a drink?"

Adrian paused. "Are you really asking? Cause that might just make you tolerable."

"I was thinking the same thing," Kai told him after saying goodbye to Amy. "Let's go."


	20. Trying Not To Worry

"Look at you!" Eva said to Victoria as Regina ushered her through the door of Sean and Eva's house and then headed back to her car with a request for Victoria to call when she and Eva were done talking. "You look so _good_!" She gave her a hug and when they were both sitting down, told her, "I'm so happy that you and Kai are starting a family. My friend Christine is, too. That's why I haven't seen a lot of her recently. But I just talked to her, and hopefully that will keep going."

"That's very sweet of you to say," Victoria told her. Then she looked around and smiled. "I'm so glad to be out of the house for a bit. It's a nice place, but you spend too long there and it gets a bit claustrophobic."

Just then, Sean came in and offered Victoria a drink.

"Thank you," Victoria told him. "That's nice."

"No problem," Sean told her. "It must be hard carrying Kai's demon spawn-I mean, children." He changed his phrasing after seeing the frown on Eva's face. "I'll just go get that drink now," he said, blushing and running to the kitchen.

When he was gone, Eva put her arms around Victoria, who looked like she was about to cry. Her bottom lip trembled and then she burst into tears.

"It's okay," Eva told her. "I'm sure Sean didn't mean what he said. He and Kai have so many issues that's not even funny. Not that that excuses what he just said." She gave her one more hard hug and then went in to see Sean, whose head was buried in the refrigerator.

"What's wrong with you?" She asked him. "How could you talk to Victoria like that? I know you and Kai have issues, but that's no reason to your anger about Kai out on someone who never did anything to you."

"I know," Sean sighed. "I know. The second it was out of my mouth I know I screwed up."

"So you're gonna apologize to Victoria?" Eva asked, arms crossed. "And maybe you should get out of the house for a bit until she leaves if you can't be around her for two seconds without shooting off your mouth."

"I will apologize to her," Sean said. "And then yes, it might be best if I go somewhere else until she leaves because I can't see Kai with a family, nor can I see him being good to them. Why should he get that when he's gone so much wrong?"

"You do remember _why_ he's done so much wrong, don't you?" Eva asked. "His mother treated him like garbage! How is he supposed to have a good start and a good view of the world with a beginning like that? I know it might not seem fair to you, but who knows? With Victoria giving him a chance, he might just grow up some and go on the path of being a better person."

Sean's mouth twisted. "If that's the goal, then Victoria has her work cut out for her, doesn't she?" He asked.

Eva snatched the bottle of water he'd gotten for Victoria out of his hand and then pulled him back to the living room. "Victoria, Sean has something he'd like to say to you," she said in a tight voice as Victoria wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Yeah, okay," Victoria nodded. "What is it? Does he mean it, or is he only saying it because you told him he had to?"

"No," Sean said. "I really _am_ sorry about what I said to you. Kai and I have our issues, but that's not an excuse to bring you into it when you haven't done anything except put up with his crap for who knows how long. I don't know whether to admire you or think you're crazy."

Victoria shrugged. "Some days, I don't really know myself. You and I have both seen different sides of Kai, so I understand why you might be sour toward our whole living arrangement, and I won't say you have to be nice to him, but I'm really trying to get him to at least be civil if not entirely reformed."

"Oh?" Sean asked, sitting down. "And just how well is that going?"

"Good," Victoria said. "I mean, as far as I know. I haven't seen him for awhile and I hope he's still going on a good path without my positive reinforcement. Helene tries, and I'm sure she can handle a guy like Kai, but I don't know how well it's going." She then cleared her throat and said, "Enough about me. What's up with you all?"

"Well, you know my sister just had her baby," Sean smiled. "It's a little boy they named after me."

"How nice!" Victoria said. "I haven't even _thought_ about baby names, but I really should now that I know what Kai and I are having. Maybe we'll name the boy after Kai's dad. That probably wouldn't be a bad idea. He seemed like a really decent guy, unlike Kai's mother. She's lucky she's already dead, or I'd kill her myself for how she treated him."

"I was there when Liam killed her," Eva said. "She really was a bad apple." She paused. "I hope she doesn't do too much damage now that she's back." She paused and clutched at Sean's arm. "Do you think she'll come after me too since I almost killed her?" She asked him. "Or do you think she'll just go after Liam?"

"If she comes after you, we'll deal with it," Sean told her. "You're safe with me, I promise."

"Do you think I should worry about Kai?" Victoria asked. "I mean, we were safe when we were in his other dimension, but now we're out in the regular world and his mother didn't like Kai very much, it seemed, so I can totally see her coming after him."

"Let's just take one thing at a time," Sean tried to calm her down. "There's no sense in worrying if Kai's not in danger."

"Right," Victoria said and took a few deep breaths. "There's no reason for me to worry. Everything will be fine." She grabbed the water bottle that had been brought in for her, took a long swig, and then tried to calm herself down and not think about the possibility of Kai being killed by the ghost of his mother.

* * *

"Just what did you do to your cousin Sean that is making him hate you so much?" Victoria demanded of Kai during their phone conversation that night. "I visited Eva today and he was there and he referred to our children as 'demon spawn'!"

"He _did_?" Kai asked. "If I weren't so intent on showing Astrid what a nice and good person I am, I would kill him for that!"

"That's not gonna help anything," Victoria told him. "Eva is a friend of mine, so you and Sean are just gonna have to work on getting along with each other. What did you do to him?"

"I stole his magic," Kai said finally. "Did you know that my mother even treated Sean better than she treated me? Probably cause his mother wouldn't let her get away with anything else. Mom treated him better so when I was around eight or so, I thought that if I could just take his powers, Mom wouldn't like him anymore. He was the start of my life of crime, you might say."

"Have you ever apologized?" Victoria wanted to know.

"No, I haven't," Kai replied.

"I think you should now," Victoria insisted. "If not because it's the right thing to do, because it would make me very happy."

"All right," Kai said. "I'll try and be nice to him. Or at least not say mean things about him to his face. Along with apologizing to him about stealing his magic."

"Good for you," Victoria told him. "That's all I want." She paused and said, "You know your mother's ghost escaped from the underworld and is plotting a reign of terror, right? Watch yourself, okay?"

"All right," Kai replied. "But I'm not scared of her. I put up with her crap all my life and if she comes back, I'll deal with it again. I can handle it. Don't worry."

"I'll try not to," Victoria said. "Really I will."

"Good," Kai told her. "You don't need that sort of stress now."

"Yeah, I know I don't," Victoria told him. "That's why I'm trying not to think about it, but it's kind of hard."

"Just have a soak, eat some ice cream, and then try and get some sleep," Kai told her.

"All right," Victoria replied. 'Hopefully I'll have another hot dream about you like I did the other morning."

"You had a dream about me?" Kai asked in a way that made Victoria able to see the smug look on his face. "Do tell."

"Oh, I can't," Victoria replied. "It would make you _far_ too conceded. All I will say is that neither of us were wearing anything throughout the whole dream."

"No surprise there," Kai told her. "You're a very naughty girl."

"Of course," Victoria told him. "That's why you like me so much. I'll talk to you later, Kai."

"All right, Vicky," Kai replied. "But before I go, I want to run something by you. One of the babies we're having is a girl, right?"

"Yeah," Victoria nodded.

"Can her name be Molly?" He asked. "I like that name."

"Sure," Victoria told him before hanging up. "That sounds nice. Goodnight, Kai."

"Goodnight, Vicky." Kai hung up the phone then and went to get ready for bed. But as he brushed his teeth, the lights in the bathroom dimmed, then went out, and then Kai let out a cry as a shape appeared in the mirror, coalescing into the face of Edele McCullough. "Hello, son," she told him. "Mother's back. "Aren't you glad to see me?"

Kai's eyes widened. "You came for me, didn't you?" He asked.

"Well, of course," Edele replied. "And it's very handy that all the fools at the council are thinking I want to waste my time with Liam. There'll be plenty of time to deal with him later. But first, I want to spend a little time with you. You seem happy and I wanted to share in that."

Kai shook his head and fumbled for light switch before the mirror shattered and Kai was pushed backward with a force that knocked him out cold until Helene found him the next morning, and everything seemed normal, as if nothing had happened.


	21. Sticking Together Through Thick And Thin

"So your mother is after you and not Liam and Mary?" Helene asked Kai. "When my mom went to all that effort to protect them, she was protecting the wrong person?"

"Well, Mom said she's still gonna go after Liam and Mary eventually," Kai replied. "But apparently, ruining _my_ happiness is more important than ruining theirs at the moment."

"I'll let Mom know so we can put a guard on you," Helene told him as she ran to the phone.

"No, don't do that, please," Kai told her.

"Why not?" Helene asked. "You need help!"

"If you call Astrid and tell her what happened the word will get out to Victoria and then she'll worry, and the twins will be in danger," Kai explained. "I know how to handle my mother. I don't need any help."

"If you're sure," Helene replied, although she really thought he could use some backup.

"I _am_ sure," Kai told her firmly. "You have to trust me on this." He then reached out and kissed her hand. "But thank you so much for being so willing to help me. Not everyone would be."

"Well, that's because they don't know you the way I do," Helene told him. "You get people around you who are kind and who are patient, you're not so bad, are you?"

"No, I try not to be," Kai told her. "At least not anymore. Victoria showed me that there _are_ good women in the world and that not all of you are as horrible as my mother was."

"It seems that from what I've heard about her, she was really old school when it came to views about girls and boys," Helene told him. "But things are starting to change now, and I think that's really good."

"You and me both," Kai told her. "You and me both. Hopefully my mother's grand entrance will be all we see of her for a bit because she got the reaction out of me that she wanted, but with her, you never know."

"I'll be watching out too," Helene told him. "I'll let you handle actually facing her, but it doesn't hurt to have every pair of eyes that you can on look out."

"Good," Kai nodded and zapped himself up a drink. "Sounds like a good plan to me."

* * *

Despite Kai's efforts to keep the news of Edele's return away from Victoria, she found out anyway.

"Is Kai's mother really back?" She asked Regina after a visit to Mary's where they had been talking about it since it was all Liam was dealing with at work. "You can tell me the truth."

"She is," Regina told her. "But don't worry about it. You're safe. No one is coming after you."

"I'm not worried about _me,_ Mom!" Victoria cried. "I'm worried about _Kai_! Do you realize what a number that woman did on him? If they meet and she messes with his head, all that I've done working with him will go down the toilet. She might even kill him!" She began breathing shallowly and then Victoria urged her to sit down.

"You need to relax," Regina told her. "Worrying isn't helping anyone."

"I can't help it," Victoria replied, refusing to sit down. "I can't just stay here. I have to go and help him."

"Victoria, no!" Regina cried as her daughter disappeared, and she was very sure that she wouldn't come back until the job was done. She then stood in the room, taking deep breaths and trying to calm herself. "Well, shit," she whispered to the empty room and then went to tell Declan what had happened. She'd never really been able to reason with Victoria, but maybe her father would.

* * *

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Vicky!" Kai yelled at Victoria when she appeared right in his bedroom at Adrian and Helene's. "What are you doing here? Go home!"

"No!" Victoria shouted back. "I won't! You're in trouble and I want to help!" A window burst at that point and Kai stepped aside just in time to avoid a falling ceiling fan.

"What the hell is going on?" Adrian yelled when he came running into the room. He was about to scold Kai, but then he saw Victoria. "What are _you_ doing here?" He asked tiredly.

"I want to help Kai!" Victoria told him. "I'm not just going to sit at home on my ass while he could be getting hurt!"

Adrian gave her a long look and sighed before finally deciding that since Helene was gone helping her mother with the Edele problem, he would take her and Kai to Amy and Klaus' instead.

"Come on," he told her. "Helene's not here, but if you're so intent on helping out, Victoria, I might as well take you and Kai to a place where he could get good hunting help."

"Thank you," Victoria told him as she took Kai's hand and pulled him through the bedroom door after Adrian. "Where are we going?"

"To my dad's," Adrian replied.

"I'm not going there!" Kai protested. "Your father was part of the whole plot that got me into the mess I'm in now."

"Well, do you want to learn to be a skilled vampire or not?" Adrian asked. "Cause it's really the only way I can think of that you'll get that help."

"Do what he says, Kai," Victoria told him. "You won't just be stuck alone with Klaus. Aunt Amy is gonna be there too, and I'm sure she'll encourage him to be nice to you."

"Well, she better," Kai replied as they got in the car and drove away. "Cause that's the only way I can see this working without both of us trying to kill each other."

* * *

"What do we have here?" Amy asked when she opened the door after Adrian's knock.

"Victoria knows about Edele and wants to help Kai," Adrian explained. "Can you do anything to help him get under control faster?"

"I suppose I could," Amy replied. "Come on in."

They went to sit down and Amy made a phone call. Not long after, two people came in the house: a tiny young woman with a head full of curly red hair and a blond young man.

"This is Rosalie and Aaron," Amy explained. "They might be able to help you. Rosalie, Aaron, this is Kai. He was just turned into a vampire courtesy of your uncle Kol."

Kai looked at the pair and laughed. They looked so young; how could they be of help to him?

"Can you really help?" Victoria asked, seeming to share his skepticism.

"Oh, yes," Rosalie assured her.

"I turned real suddenly myself," Aaron added to Kai, his voice reassuring. "Come on. You can stay at our apartment if you want."

Just as they were about to go, Klaus saw them. "Is he leaving?" He glared at Kai. "Good."

"Aaron is helping him work on being a vampire," Amy said. "It's nice that he gets to have someone who has so much skill and experience helping him."

"You're joking, right?" Klaus asked, his jaw dropping. "I have lots more experience than he does."

"Oh, yes, but I wouldn't want to burden such a great and powerful man as yourself with something as time-consuming as helping a new vampire," Amy told him. "That's a job for an underling!"

"I may not like him," Klaus said about Kai. "But if he's gonna be a vampire, he should at least have a competent teacher."

Klaus pulled Kai away then with Victoria following and Rosalie said, "Damn, Mom. That was _good_."

"Oh, I know," Amy nodded with a smirk and looked at her nails. "Manipulating your father is one of my best skills." She smiled then and said, want a drink?"

"Sure," Rosalie nodded. "I could have a soda by now." She and Aaron then sat with Amy, waiting and listening for any sounds that indicated that Kai was in some sort of distress and Klaus needed to be stopped.

"Okay," Klaus said to Kai as Victoria stood beside him with her hand in his and they looked around the woods. "How many times have you hunted?"

"Not many," Kai shrugged. "I'm a relative newbie."

"Good," Klaus nodded. "It's nice to know where we stand. Now, I think I'll start you off with animals. Did you do that when you were hunting before?"

"No," Kai shook his head. "Adrian's been having me go after people."

Klaus chuckled. "It's nice to see my son has high hopes for you, but if you want to learn control when feeding, starting out with people is not the way to go. Animals are better."

"Why?" Kai asked.

"Cause squirrels and bunnies are smaller," Victoria explained. "You get used to having a specific amount of blood that you take into your system, and then it's less likely that you'll go overboard when you move on to people."

"Good," Klaus smiled at her. "Did your grandfather teach you that? I'm sure he'd be pleased that you remembered."

"Of course I remembered," Victoria smiled. "How could I forget?"

Klaus then instructed Kai to go after a bunny rabbit.

"All right," Kai scoffed. "Nice to see you're starting me off easy." But to his surprise, catching a rabbit was not as easy as it looked. He missed the first two he saw, and when he finally caught the third, he was bruised, bleeding, and covered in dirt. "Here you go," he panted as he held the struggling rabbit out to Victoria. "I finally caught one."

"You eat first," Victoria urged him. "I'm taken care of. I had a blood bag this morning."

"Are you sure?" Kai asked.

"Yes, I'm sure," Victoria told him. "It's very sweet for you to worry about me, but you need to eat too."

Wincing, Kai bit into the bunny rabbit and began sucking its awful-tasting blood when a piece of pizza suddenly popped into Victoria's hand. Startled and enticed by the sight of the more appetizing food, Kai let the rabbit go and didn't go after it again, causing Klaus to groan.

"Focus, damn it!" He scolded Kai as Victoria happily munched on the pizza. "How are you supposed to learn this if you don't focus?"

"Where'd that pizza come from?" Kai asked Victoria.

"It's a witch thing," Victoria explained. "Once you get pregnant enough that you can't move around so well, the food comes to you! It's really nice, actually."

"Ah," Kai nodded. "Okay."

"Now let's try and catch another rabbit," Klaus ordered Kai. "Unless you'd prefer a squirrel."

"Well, they both taste like shit, but if I had to pick one, I'd go for a rabbit again," Kai replied.

"Don't tell me," Klaus said. "Just do it!"

Eventually Kai caught another rabbit and after draining it and choking the blood down, he winced. "I can't wait to get to people," he said. "Really. Can we stop for today?"

"Yes, now that you've caught something, we can stop," Klaus replied. "It couldn't have come at a better time."

They then went back to Klaus and Amy's and Kai took a bath while Amy asked Klaus how it went.

"He's not perfect, but he's better than I thought," Klaus admitted. "And I knew that you were manipulating me by the way. I was just choosing to play along."

"Sure you were," Amy smiled and kissed him. "Whatever you say, honey."


	22. Taken By The Darkness

"I have to say I'm very pleased that you're so stubborn and came all the way over here so many times even though you technically aren't supposed to," Kai told Victoria when she joined him in his room right before bed. He then moved her long dark hair off her neck, and began kissing the warm skin there. He also put his hands on her waist and moved them until they were cupping her bottom. "My god, I've missed touching you," he breathed as he pushed up the bottom of her night shirt and played with her panties.

But then, as Victoria felt the scrape of teeth on her neck, she pulled away. "No, you can't do that!" She remonstrated. "No biting! At least not yet, anyway."

"I wasn't going to!" Kai replied. "I'm sorry I scared you." He reached out for her again and she said gently, "I know waiting is hard, but there really _is_ a reason why you and I have to be separated until you're better trained. As passionate as we are, you could end up biting me and not know when to stop. And I know you'd feel terrible about that, wouldn't you?" She leaned forward and kissed him lightly. "Just be patient," she said as he put his hands on her belly. "The day will come when we can be together again. I promise."

"Yes, but I know it's going to take forever," Kai told her. "It's really hard to get used to not being near you at all when we've just had each other for so long!"

"That part's hard for me too," Victoria told him. "Why do you think I zapped myself over here when my mother most likely wishes I didn't?" She paused to stroke his cheek then. "Should I go?" She asked. "Is my being here too hard for you?"

"No, I guess not," Kai shook his head and kissed her hand. "Seeing you and holding you even if we can't have sex is better than not seeing you at all because you're so far away."

"That's what I thought too," Victoria said and kissed him. "I'm glad you agree with me." She headed toward the bed, wincing with every step.

"Are you all right?" Kai asked as he helped her into bed. "What can I do for you?"

"It's my back," she told him. "It's really, _really_ sore!"

"I can fix that easy," Kai told her and gently began to massage her back and neck. "How's that?" He asked. "Any better?"

"Yeah," Victoria nodded. "A little better, thanks."

He went and got her some warm milk next and soon after, she managed to shut her eyes and fall asleep. Kol put his arms around her the best he could and fell asleep too.

* * *

He was still asleep a few hours later when Victoria woke up, full of unease. She looked around, rubbing her arms to try and rid of the goosebumps that had risen on them. "Hello?" She got out. "Is anyone here?"

No one said anything, although she was sure she and Kai weren't alone. She called his name and gave him a shake, but he didn't open his eyes.

"Kai!" She yelled again. "Kai! Wake up!"

"He won't wake up," said a cold female voice as a human shape appeared at the foot of their bed and morphed into Kai's mother. "I made sure of that. I want to have a chat with you now and he would just be in the way."

"What are you doing here?" Victoria asked. "What do you want with me?"

"Oh, what I want isn't hard to explain," the said to her. "I'm sure my son has told you many awful tales about me. None of them are true."

"I don't believe that," Victoria told her, realizing that it was Kai's mother, Edele, who stood before her. "Why should I believe you and not him? What possible reason could you give me to change my mind? You're just lying to me, aren't you?"

"Perhaps I am," the ghost said. "You're a very smart girl. But would you believe that I want to atone for my past?"

"No," Victoria shook her head. "No, I don't. I want you to leave now. I want you to leave and not come back."

"You might want that," Edele chuckled. "But as I am a ghost, there's nothing you can do to make sure that happens. No, I've come to bond with my son and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

"All right," Victoria admitted. "But just how do you plan to bond with him when he knows how awful you are and that he doesn't want anything to do with you?"

"I have my ways," Edele replied. "And I just want to thank you right now for your help." She then flew into Victoria, and then Victoria fell back onto the mattress, her eyes closed as she slept deeply, Kai still just as unconscious beside her and completely unaware of what he was up against.

* * *

The next morning, Edele remained in hiding until Kai had his hunting lesson for the day. That was when she was made aware that her son was a vampire and had plenty to say about it. "How inept are you?" She shouted at Kol as he struggled to catch a rabbit. "It's bad enough that you lost your powers in the first place, but now you have to be as lousy a vampire as you were when you were a warlock? Why I didn't just kill you a long time ago, I have no idea. At least go for a deer!"

"Are you all right, Victoria?" Klaus asked. "I know you said you wanted to be out here, but I really don't think you're helping. Maybe you should go check on Amy instead."

"Oh, I'll do that," Edele told him, making Victoria's gaze cold. "Women are much more competent at this sort of thing anyway. I can't stand to watch this failure any longer!" She strode off and Klaus looked at Kai.

"Are you all right?" He asked. "Victoria seems to be unusually hostile today."

"Oh, I know," Kai remarked, trying to shrug off the harsh words that were a shock coming from the mouth of his usually very supportive wife. "Her back was sore last night so she probably didn't get enough rest. And I bet it's the hormones. She probably doesn't mean anything that she's saying."

"Yes," Klaus nodded. "I bet she doesn't."

And when Kai brought her back inside and suggested she take a nap, she gave him a hard slap. "Don't you tell me what to do," she told him. "That's not your place!"

"All right," Kai rubbed his cheek.

"You better be," Edele told him sharply. "And I have to say you did awful today. Your poor children having to deal with having such a failure for a father; I don't know how they'll stand it." She started walking away and Kai grabbed her arm, turning her to face him.

"What the hell is the matter with you?" He asked. "If it's something with the hormones or something I've done wrong, just tell me. I don't appreciate being mocked or bullied and if you weren't pregnant, I would…I would…" He made a violent wringing motion with his hand as he showed his teeth.

"Would you, Malachai?" Edele asked, making a wicked smile curve Victoria's lips. "Why don't you do it now? Come on, you know you want to. Kill the mother who made your life so difficult."

"Mother?" Kai asked. "Damn it, I should have known."

"Yes," Edele nodded. "I can't believe I had you thinking that your precious wife would say such horrible things about you. You must not like her after all."

"I do," Kai replied. "Leave her alone. Leave us both alone!"

"Or you'll do what?" Edele asked. "You can't do anything to me. Not if you don't want your wife and children to die too. Do you?"

"No," Kai shook his head. "There has to be some other way to rid myself of you. And I'll find it. Then they'll be safe and you'll be gone, and I won't have to deal with your fuckery anymore!"

"Good luck!" Edele called. "I can't wait to see how long this takes you!"

* * *

"You and Uncle Elijah really seemed to connect," Regina remarked to Declan as he tied her up. "Can you tell me what you talked about, or is it private?"

Declan shrugged. "He didn't say I couldn't tell you. As long as you don't tell your father, things should be all right. It seems he and Selina are in a bit of a slump in their marriage since their last child moved out, so I thought I would give them some tips on how we managed to be so good for so long." He took off his shirt and then went to go get a whip while Regina laughed.

"You suggested doing what you and _I_ do to my uncle?" She asked. "That's unbelievable. I doubt he'll do it."

"He might," Declan told her as he brought the whip down and Regina cried out. "He seemed very desperate, to be honest. And he said that Selina was already sort of into it, so who knows what will happen?" He whipped her a few more times until, panting heavily, she asked him to stop. He untied her then and licked the blood off her skin before taking her in his arms to kiss her as he undressed her and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Soon he was buried inside her and they were laughing and nibbling on one another when the call came. It took a while for them to extricate themselves, so when Regina answered the phone, the caller had hung up and she had to dial the number again.

"Sorry about that," she apologized to Kai. "What's going on?"

"You need to come help me with Victoria," Kai told her. "And get Astrid and anyone else you can. My mother has possessed your daughter, and if there's any way to get her out without hurting Victoria and the twins, I need to know what it is, quick."

"All right," Regina assured him. "Declan and I will be over right away. Just get Victoria sat down and restrained as well as you can, and then we'll go from there, got it?"

"Yeah," Kai nodded. "I've got it. Hurry, please."


	23. Brought Into The Light

Edele laughed as Kai tied her to the bed. "And just what do you plan to do with me like this?" She asked. "I've heard of pathetic boys going after women who remind them of their mothers, but this is a bit much, isn't it?"

He frowned and slapped her so hard that her head snapped back. "Shut up!" He ordered. "With any luck, you'll be gone soon."

"You would slap your pregnant wife?" Edele asked, looking genuinely shocked for the first time. "What sort of monster _are_ you?"

"The son of a woman who's just as monstrous as she says _I_ am, or even more so," Kai replied, looking her in the eye. "And Victoria and I do things like slapping quite frequently. If it were her that I was dealing with instead of you, I wouldn't have hit so hard, but with you, I don't particularly care." He then sat down on the bed and called Regina again, ordering her and Declan to come on the double along with Astrid and anyone else from the Council they could get hold of because they weren't coming as fast as they claimed and he knew Edele wouldn't stay restrained for long.

"All right," Regina said. "What's going on now? How bad is it? Is there any of Victoria left in there?"

"Just a minute," Kai told her. "Let me check." He put the phone down and approached Edele, who was thrashing wildly and laughing like a maniac. Kai held her down and asked, "Victoria? Victoria, are you in there?"

"No," Edele shook her head. "Do you honestly think I would let that happen? What fun would that be?"

"Well, enjoy it while it lasts." Kai replied. "Cause you won't be around much longer!" He then sat and waited for Regina and Declan to come with reinforcements while trying not to think about how Edele being in Victoria's body was affecting her and the babies.

* * *

When Regina and Declan arrived, Kai was glad to see that they hadn't come alone, and had in fact brought a whole cavalry with them. Not just Alistair and Astrid, but also Kol and Margot and a few ghosts as well.

"They were the ones who saw your mother come through," Astrid explained briefly. "So I thought they could be of some help."

As they made their way to the bedroom, Kai asked Astrid, "Will taking my mother out kill Victoria or the babies? I'd like to know ahead of time so I can wrap my mind around it."

"Oh, no, not _kill_ them," Astrid assured him with confidence cause she had been a nurse at one point and knew these things. "But Victoria could very well go into premature labor or need to have the babies early, followed a lot of recovery time after, and it will probably take more time for your babies to show evidence of powers. That's the worst case scenario."

"Good," Kai nodded. "I think I can deal with that. Now let's get my mother out."

They pinned Edele down then while Astrid put a few spells on her so she couldn't try and get away (and so she would be the only ghost who was expelled during the exorcism), and while she hissed and swore, thrashed like the little girl in the exorcist, Alistair recited the spell to draw Edele out. As he did this, Kol and Declan stood watching the whole episode with stony faces while their wives had their heads buried in their husbands' shoulders. This was especially true toward the end of the exorcism when Edele began shrieking and trying to resist being pulled out.

In her last few moments, she grabbed Kai's throat, her gaze on him full of such hatred that he wondered how long it would take him to be able to look at Victoria before he didn't remember seeing that look in her eyes anymore.

When she was expelled at last, Victoria fell back onto her pillow, unconscious, Charlotte, Amelia, and Andrew held Edele so she couldn't disappear and go somewhere else, and then Astrid, who was still reciting spells, brought her voice to a fever pitch, and then, with a shattering of windows and a flickering of lights, Edele let out one last horrible cry and disappeared.

When everything calmed down, everyone looked at one another and Astrid asked, "Is everyone all right?"

"Yes," Kai nodded and pushed some of Victoria's hair out of her face. "Everyone except Victoria, that is. We need to get her to the hospital!"

"I agree," Astrid replied and called an ambulance. When it arrived, Kai, Declan, and Regina all got in to ride with her (although that wasn't normally allowed, they all looked so distressed that the driver couldn't find it in his heart to tell either of them to get off and come later.)

But before they got on their way, Kol grabbed Kai's arm and locked eyes with him. "Thank you," he said.

"You're welcome," Kai replied and then got into the ambulance while Kol held a quietly crying Margot and then led her home to rest so she could see Victoria in a calm and rational frame of mind.

* * *

Kai watched with a heavy heart a couple of hours later as Victoria lay asleep in her hospital bed. They'd taken the babies out of her while she was still unconscious, and now the twins (named Molly and Finn) were in a special ward for children who had had run-ins with dark magic while their mother rested in a room of her own. She was no longer sedated as she had been to make sure she wouldn't wake up during the delivery, but the doctor said it would wear off soon after. He moved some hair out of her eyes and then, as he reached out to touch her belly, she woke up with a shriek, yelling over and over, and over.

"It's okay…it's okay!" He assured her. "My mother is gone! We got her out of you. Do you know who I am? What's your name?"

"Victoria," Victoria got out. "Kai, where am I? And what about the twins? Did I lose them? Please tell me I didn't!"

"No, you didn't," Kai assured her quickly. "They delivered them right after you got to the hospital because they weren't sure how much damage my mother's being in your body had done and they didn't want to take any chances.

"And are they healthy?" Victoria asked. "Or will they die?"

"Oh, no, they're fine," Kai smiled. "They both have really strong lungs, and Molly's bigger than Finn, so she'll be the one we take home first after they've been checked over for any lingering darkness and have got more weight on them."

"Oh, thank _goodness_!" Victoria cried and pulled Kai to her. "I was so scared, so worried…" She then held him at a distance. "I want to see them," she demanded. "I want to see my babies."

"All right," Kai nodded. "I'll see if I can make that happen. The doctors will probably be glad to know that you're awake, too."

A little while later, Kai came through the door pushing a wheelchair with a doctor trailing behind him.

"All right, get in the chair," he said to her, and then grinned. "The doctor says you're not allowed to walk yet. I love having a chance to push you around."

"Ha-ha," Victoria replied and then reached out. Kai helped her down and held her when she stumbled a bit. They got her in the chair and then Kai pushed her to the room where the babies were being kept. When she saw the incubators that said **Molly Parker** and **Finn Parker** and that they held tiny children wearing a pink hat and a blue hat and were connected to a bunch of tubes, even though they were crying loudly, she nearly burst into tears herself.

"They're so _small_!" She said. "And what are they hooked up to all those tubes for?"

"It's just to monitor their vital signs and make sure they get nourishment," Kai assured her, keeping both his hands firmly on Victoria's shoulders and kissing her hair. "That's all."

"Really?" Victoria asked. Then she said to a doctor who happened by, "I can touch them, right?"

"Of course," the doctor replied, smiling at her warmly cause she wasn't the first worried mother he'd ever met. "It would do them an awful lot of good, actually. Go ahead."

Nervously, Victoria reached out one hand to Finn and the other to Molly and gently massaged them. They stopped crying and actually seemed to like her touching. Or at least it didn't seem to hurt them.

"You see?" The doctor told her with a smile. "What did I tell you?" Then, he came over and lifted up Molly as much as the tubes would allow. "Would you like to hold her?" He asked Victoria.

She nodded and Kai pushed her closer to the incubator so she wouldn't have to reach so far, and then when Molly was placed in her arms, she tried to stay calm. "She and Finn are tiny cause they were born early, right?"

"Yes," the doctor nodded. "And the reason why it will take longer for their magic to manifest is that you are the first exposure they have to magic. And the more they're exposed, the easier it is for their powers to show themselves. However, your possession interfered with their contact with your magic, so they've basically just been like humans since it happened."

"But they'll still _have_ magic," Victoria clarified.

"Oh, yes," the doctor nodded. "All the possessions in the world can't interfere with genetics so badly that the babies would lose their powers _entirely_."

"Good," Victoria nodded. "Okay. I feel better now." She held Molly against her for some time until, between the calming beat of her heart and the calming sensation of sucking her own thumb made the baby fall asleep. The doctor put her back then and Kai took Finn to try and get the same result with him.

It took a little longer, probably because baby Finn could sense his father's nervousness, but, as usual, with a little encouragement from Victoria, he felt more at ease, and soon, Finn was asleep like his sister.

Once he was back in his incubator, Victoria said, "I think I need to go back to my room and get some rest."

"Yes," Kai nodded. "I think you do." He wheeled her back to her room, helped her into bed, and tucked her in. Then, just as she was getting to sleep, Kai's phone rang. "Hello?" He said after he answered it out in the hallway.

"Hi, Kai?" Said Regina. "Can we come and visit Victoria, or should we wait until tomorrow?"

"Well, she's resting right now," Kai told her. "So if you want to see her awake, it might be good to wait until later. Oh, and they got the babies out. They're small but fine."

"Oh, that is so good to hear!" Regina told him. "All right, if Victoria is resting, we'll come and see her later. How are _you_ doing?"

"I'm all right," Kai said. "I don't know what you're worried about me for, though. _Victoria_ is the one that all the bad stuff happened to."

"Now just a minute," Regina told him. "You have to deal with all this too, and it can't be easy. Did they tell you what would happen with Victoria once she gets out of the hospital? How tough of a job will you have?"

"Well, apparently, she's gonna need to be relatively inactive while her magic supply comes back," Kai replied. "It's gonna take a few months or something for the twins to be fully well, which is kind of a relief cause I don't know how well I could have managed two squirmy, needy babies _and_ Victoria stuck in bed all at the same time."

"I thought that would be the case," Regina told him. "If you need anything, you know, help with Victoria, or the babies, or you just need to talk…let me know, okay? I'll listen."

"Thank you," Kai told her, sort of surprised, even though he shouldn't have been. She was the mother of the first person to ever be truly kind to him, after all, and Victoria had to get it from somewhere. "I'd like to make my first request now, if you don't mind."

"All right, sure," Regina said. "What is it?"

"I'm probably gonna be here until late, so would you mind bringing me some food, please?" He asked. "It doesn't have to be anything fancy. A hamburger from McDonald's would be fine."

"Oh, don't be silly," Regina told him. "Of course I'll bring you food, but nothing so ridiculous as that. I made a pot roast and I'll bring you some of that."

"Thanks," Kai told her. "I can't wait."

"You're welcome," Regina told him. "See you later."

The call ended and then Kai let out a breath, giving the sleeping Victoria a kiss. Then, to his surprise, she smiled in her sleep and reached out to squeeze his hand. It had been a long, hard day, but after everything that happened, somehow, something as simple as holding Victoria's hand and knowing that he not only got to have a wife, two kids, and a good dinner after it all made everything better.


	24. Making A Recovery

"I know that the doctor said I can't move around so much because of the whole 'resting to make my powers come back' thing," Victoria told Kai. "But what does that mean? How am I supposed to get anything done from my bed? What if people come over? I can't just stay up here!"

"True," Kai nodded as the doorbell rang.

"Who's that?" Victoria asked.

"Your aunt and uncle heard you were home and that we had twins in the hospital and they asked if they could stop by with Adrian and Helene," Kai told her. "I said 'Yes', but I can go down there and talk to them by myself if you want."

"No, I'll come," Victoria said.

Kai picked her up then and carried her to the living room where he sat her down on the sofa, gave her a kiss, and then opened the door.

Klaus and Adrian came in first, carrying a bunch of stuff. "Is that all for _me_?" Kai asked, wide grin on his face. "How sweet!" He reached over to kiss Adrian, who tried to get away, but failed, and then he kissed Klaus too, while Amy tried not to laugh.

"We brought stuff for the babies," Helene told Victoria as she and Amy gave her hugs and Klaus and Adrian spat over their shoulders and then went to put all the stuff in the twins' rooms. "I hope that's all right with you."

"Thank you," Victoria nodded. "Would you like me to kiss you too?"

"You can if you want," Amy told her. "I don't mind."

So Victoria hugged them both and Amy asked, "How are you doing?"

"Better," Victoria said. "I wish Finn and Molly were here, of course, but if they're having problems and keeping them at the hospital for a time will make them well, I suppose I can't really complain."

"Yeah," Helene said as she put her arms around Victoria. "They'll get home soon and then everything will be all right."

"I hope so," Victoria sighed. "I hope so." Then she changed the subject. "Do Mary and Liam know that Edele is gone for good? How's _their_ baby?"

"Little Sean?" Helene smiled. "Oh, he's _wonderful_. In fact, maybe you should come and see him. Do you think it would help tide you over until the twins are able to come home?"

"Sure," Victoria smiled. "I think that would be nice. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Helene told her and hugged her again. "Now, what about the twins' rooms? Have you got them all figured out? Do you need help?"

"Sure, that would be nice," Victoria agreed. "I have the look for both in my mind, but haven't done anything yet of course. And now that I'm on a strict 'no magic use' plan for some time, I need someone who can actually use their powers to help me get the rooms fixed up."

"Let's do it, then!" Amy cried as she clapped her hands once and stood up. "No use sitting here when there's work we could be getting done."

So they went to Molly's room first, which had the furniture in it, but no color. No paint on the walls or other kinds of decoration. Amy used a spell to rearrange all the toys that had been dumped in a pile in the center of the room, and then sat Victoria down in a chair, saying, "All right. Tell me what you want me to do."

"Well, I was thinking I wanted to do the room in lavender," Victoria replied. "What do you think?"

"I think lavender is a lovely color," Amy replied. She then zapped that on the walls so Victoria could see how it would look. "What do you think?"

"I like it," Victoria said. "Let's do the same thing with the bedding, please."

So Amy zapped up a pale lavender blanket set, hung a pink and purple quilt over the side of the crib, and then put a purple bear on the pillow. "There you go," she said, smiling with satisfaction. "You like that?"

"Yeah," Victoria smiled and tried not to cry. "I think I do." But a few happy tears came out anyway, and Helene went and got her a tissue before giving her another hug.

"You want to move on and do Finn's room now?" Helene asked. "Or should we wait on that?"

"No, let's just do it now while you're here," Victoria told her. "Please."

So they moved on to Finn's room and Helene took over this time, organizing the toys that had just been left on the floor and then turning to Victoria. "All right," she said. "What now?"

"I'm less sure about Finn's room," Victoria replied. "I was thinking yellow or green, though." She looked at Helene. "Would you pick? I really can't decide."

"Well, let's just see how both look and you can pick," Helene replied. She started with green, but Victoria quickly admitted that that just wasn't right. But when she covered the room in yellow, Victoria smiled. "I like this. It's very sunny and alive. It's good."

"That's what I think too," Amy added. The blankets for the crib were covered in baby ducks, and Amy put a baby duck toy on the pillow. "There," she said. "Two beautifully decorated rooms ready and waiting for their occupants."

"Thank you so much for your help," Victoria told them. "I was planning on doing this myself, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it."

"It's not a problem," Amy assured her. "We were glad to help!" She paused. "Now, I think we should go check on our husbands and make sure they haven't killed each other. What do you think?"

"I think that's a very wise idea," Victoria replied.

They went and found Klaus and Adrian on one side of the living room with guarded expressions on their faces while Kai smirked at them from the sofa. "I don't know why you two are so worried about me," he said. "It's not like I can do anything to you. Not that I wouldn't try, but I'm not stupid enough to think I could win."

"Oh, we know that," Adrian replied. "But we don't want to inadvertently (or purposefully) kill you because that would upset several people, wouldn't it? That's why we're trying to restrain ourselves from separating your head from your neck."

"Okay, okay, that's enough," Helene told them. "Thanks for restraining yourselves, but I think it would be best for everyone if we went our separate ways for now."

"Thanks for the help," Victoria told Amy and Helene as they ushered their husbands out the door. "I really appreciate it."

"Not a problem," Helene told her. "And let me know when you want me to bring you to visit baby Sean."

"All right," Victoria shouted back just before the door slammed shut. "I will." She then sat down next to Kai and squeezed his hand. "Thanks for not killing anyone."

"You're welcome," Kai replied. "It was hard, though. I'm really upset right now. Aren't you?"

"Of course!" Victoria nodded. "Who _wouldn't_ be pissed off at your mother after what she did? I could have died! The babies could have died! She just makes me wanna…" she showed her teeth and then stood up. "Let's go hunting," she said, grabbing his hand pulling him to his feet. "I need to do it now, and if you say anything about how the doctors told me I shouldn't, I'm starting with you!"

"Oh, of course I wasn't thinking of berating you for going hunting," Kai told her. "It's no fun to do it by myself." They then got in Kai's car and drove around, grabbing everyone they could find before taking them to a secluded spot in the woods, beating them to get their rage out until each person was just barely alive and definitely not in a state to fight back before they drained them and Victoria made all the bodies disappear with her magic, and then making Kai promise not to mention her magic use to the doctors cause she was technically supposed to wait until it had replenished before she used it again.

"You won't hear me say a word," Kai grinned and kissed her as he bent her over the hood of the car, his hands sliding under her shirt as she threw her arms around him and played with his hair. Then, he picked her up, her legs wrapping around his waist as he kissed her, his tongue poking between her lips.

Eventually, the kiss had to be broken so they both could breathe. "What do you say we get in the car if we're gonna take this any further?" Kai asked as he held up Victoria's black lace bra.

"Yeah," Victoria panted. "We might as well." They got in the car and Kai undressed her the rest of the way as she unzipped his pants and felt him nibble at her neck as he rubbed against her spread legs for a time before finally throwing his pants in the trunk, pulling her to him, and burying himself inside her.

"Good," Victoria nodded. "Good…very good." They went on like this until they were both struggling to breathe and then Victoria said, "It was probably good we did that. I needed a bit of a workout after all those people I ate. I felt like I could barely move at all." She smiled. "Not that I have a problem with that, of course." She kissed Kai's cheek. "Promise me that even though we have babies now, you won't go entirely soft. Cause that's not what I want."

"Oh, don't you worry," Kai assured her with a playful wink. "I still have plenty of rage in me that will probably never go away. I'll _always_ be your bad boy."

"Good," Victoria told him. "I thought you'd say that, but I just wanted to be sure."

* * *

"Now are you sure you want to do this?" Helene asked Victoria a few days later as they stood outside Mary and Liam's before going inside to see baby Sean. "We don't have to do this now if it will be too hard for you."

"Thanks, but I'll be all right," Victoria assured her. "I promise. Let's go in." So Helene rang the doorbell and they waited. A few seconds later Sean opened it, and invited them in. "Mary said you were coming," he told them, then looked at Victoria. "How are you?" He asked.

"I'm as good as can be expected," Victoria told him. "Thank you for asking."

"No problem," Sean said and guided her to a chair. "Aunt Edele's a real piece of work and I can't imagine what it was like to be under her control."

"I don't remember any of it, really," Victoria shrugged as she sat down. "And based on what Kai told me she made me say to him, I'm _glad_ I don't remember."

Before they could pursue the subject any more, Mary appeared, holding a baby who was already a few months old and had little tufts of blond hair poking up out of his scalp. "I thought I heard the doorbell," she said, slowly making her way across the room. "Hello, Victoria."

"Hello," Victoria replied. "We didn't wake the baby, did we? We probably should have knocked."

"I brought you specifically when he wouldn't be having nap time," Helene told her. "Don't worry about that."

Mary then held baby Sean out to Victoria. "Would you like to hold him?" She asked. "He's really good about meeting new people."

"Sure," Victoria replied and then held out her arms. She then looked down into little Sean's eyes and smiled. "He's adorable."

"Yeah, he is," Mary replied. "I think he's gonna look like Liam when he's older. Oh, and I'm not supposed to tell you this cause it's a surprise, but…based on what you went through with Edele, the council wants to give you an award for your role in helping her get caught."

"They do?" Victoria asked. "Wow. I was not expecting that. But I'll take it, for sure. I should get _something_ in return after all that Edele cost me." She cuddled baby Sean and said, "One of our babies is a boy. Little Finny. He's the smaller of the two and the doctors said that it's probably gonna take him awhile to get his powers."

"But once he gets 'em, it won't take him much time to learn how to use them," Mary told her. "At least, that's what happened with me. So you've seen your babies?"

"Yep," Victoria nodded. "They need some more care since they were born early, but they called and asked us to come down for an hour or so every day so we can bond with them before they come home. That starts tomorrow, and I really can't wait."

"Well, I'm happy for you," Mary told her. "After what happened, you could probably use the good news. How's Kai taking it all?"

"He's very angry about what happened, no surprise there," Victoria said. "But I think that once the twins get home, things will get better. Or at least I _hope_ they do."

Sean listened to what Victoria said, and then a thought came into his mind. He had to do something for his cousin, even though it probably wouldn't be welcomed. He wanted to give it a shot anyway.

* * *

"I'm not here to fight with you," Sean said to Kai that night when Kai opened the door and saw his cousin on the other side. "I heard from Victoria about what you went through with your mother and the twins when she and Helene came to visit Mary and my nephew, and I just…I wanted to say that I'm sorry. I know we've gone through lots of crap over the years, but…now I think it's as good a time as any to bury the hatchet." He held out his hand. "I'm ready to start over if you are."

Kai looked over Sean's shoulder to try and see if Eva had come with him and was forcing him to do this, but he didn't see her. "You came alone, didn't you?" He asked.

"Yeah," Sean nodded. "I did. Eva doesn't know I'm here or anything."

"Well…thank you," Kai remarked and briefly took his cousin's hand. "You wanna come in and have a drink? Victoria's in bed so I'm just watching TV by myself."

"Sure," Sean nodded. "I would like that." He came in and sat down while Kai got him a beer. When they both had beers in hand and had cracked them open, Sean said, "So…twins, huh? Do you think you're ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be, I suppose," Kai replied. "And whatever I do, I know I'll always be a better parent than my mother was. Always. Especially to Finny cause he's gonna get his magic late and have trouble with it and I don't want him to feel like there's something wrong with him because of that."

"That's really nice," Sean replied. "Are you gonna teach him not to steal it from other people?"

"Yes," Kai sighed. "Of course I'll do that."

"Good," Sean told him. "Cause if you don't, I will. Lord knows Eva and I will be over here often enough for me to take the opportunity."

"Wonderful," Kai told him. "I can't wait."

"Sarcasm?" Sean asked, eyebrow raised.

"No," Kai shook his head. "I was genuinely trying to be enthusiastic, but I guess it didn't work. That's what I meant, though."

Sean nodded. "All right," he said. "Good enough. Maybe with our wives as buffers, things will get easier for us."

"I hope so too," Kai replied. "I hope so too."


	25. Making Up For The Past

"Look at that," Kai said as he drove away from the hospital with Victoria in the backseat and both babies in car seats on either side of her. "We're a full family now!"

"Yeah," Victoria smiled and clapped eagerly as she rubbed the babies' tummies. "It's about time, isn't it?" Molly reacted by cooing and smiling while Finn just stared.

When they reached the house, they brought the babies in, Victoria fed them, and then they put them in their beds so they could rest for a bit before they were played with.

"Did you decorate their rooms?" Kai asked as he looked around Finn's room. "I like this."

"I had Helene and Amy help me," Victoria explained. "But yeah, the concepts were my idea."

"Well, you all did well," Kai remarked.

They sat in the living room for a little bit before they were summoned by their children. They brought them into the living room and watched as Molly rolled from her side to her back.

Finn just lay there, but when Kai made faces at him, he made the same face. "Look!" Kai cried. "I made him do something!"

"Good," Victoria hugged him. "Good for you." She then sat back on her heels and said, "Would you like to go hunting and take time away from all this cuteness so that it doesn't become too much?"

"No, I don't have to, Vicky," Kai shook his head. "Really, I'm fine."

"Let me rephrase that," Victoria told him. "Why don't you go hunting? I have a surprise planned for you and it won't be too much of a surprise if you're here to see it."

"I won't even bother asking what sort of surprise it is, then," Kai remarked as he got to his feet. "Are you sure you'll be all right with both of them by yourself?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Victoria replied. "I have my powers again to help me, thank goodness."

"All right, I'll leave if you're sure you'll do all right," Kai replied and left. When he was gone, Victoria put the kids back in their cribs and, going room by room, did the best she could to make their new house look like the one they'd had in Kai's dimension of solitude. She missed that house and she figured he did too. Even though she loved her family, the other house had been nice cause it had been so private and special to know that it was just the two of them.

Kai returned just as she finished the playroom which she stared at wistfully, wondering when she was going to be able to go in there again, if she ever was. Then she took off at a run and stopped Kai at the door. "Just a minute!" She cried. "Before you come any further, I'm going to have to ask you to close your eyes."

"Why?" Kai asked. "Did you do something bad that you don't want me to see?"

"No, I did not," Victoria shook her head. "I did something good that I want you to see, but it's a surprise, you have to close your eyes until you get to it."

He humored her and let her lead him around to the different rooms, but it didn't take him long to figure out what she'd done. "I _knew_ this place seemed different!" He cried at last, so excited that he forgot he had two babies sleeping somewhere. "You made our house like the other one."

"Yeah," Victoria nodded as the babies began to cry. "Do you like it? I was starting to miss the place and I figured you would too."

"I was," Kai remarked as they split up. "You're very perceptive. I didn't mean to wake the kids up, though. I'm still getting used to having them around."

"I understand," Victoria nodded. "It's not your fault. You wanna take Finn or Molly?"

"I'll take Miss Molly," Kai replied. "I'm still a worked up from hunting and could use the kid that's a challenge."

"But first you should wipe off your face," Victoria reminded him. "You have some blood on it and you don't want to scare them."

"Do you really think it will?" Kai asked. "I think they're a bit too young to be scared of blood."

"Even so," Victoria said firmly as she pushed him in the direction of the bathroom. "Go clean up, please. Molly will probably still be screaming her head off when you're done."

"All right," Kai replied. He went to clean up and, as Victoria had guessed, found Molly still crying when he got to her room, even though her mother was there with Finn, trying to calm her down, even though all that did was work Finn up too.

"Thank goodness you're here," Victoria said when she saw him. "Tag, you're it. You think you can deal with this?"

"Yes," Kai nodded as Molly glanced at him and quieted while he smiled at her and picked her up out of her crib to hold her close. "I think I can."

* * *

Later that night, when it was Kai's turn to feed the babies (he and Victoria switched off every hour), he finished with Molly and then when it was Finn's turn, he fed him, and then instead of putting him right to bed, held him for a little bit. "Your mother is very pretty, you know," he said as they rocked and Finn looked up at him as if he were intently listening to what his father had to say so he could tuck it away for later. "And I know it could be disappointing when I come and feed you, because that means you don't get to eat from her breasts, and I get that. I like her breasts too." He continued talking about this until Victoria poked her head in. "You wanna take another shift?" She asked. "Or do you want to get some sleep? You can do whatever you want. I don't mind at all."

"Sorry, I'm trying to establish a common interest with him," Kai said as he brought Finn to Victoria.

"Oh?" Victoria raised an eyebrow as she took her son in her arms. "And what would that be?"

"Your lovely breasts," Kai said. "They mean a lot to both of us, even if his need for them is much more practical than mine."

Victoria tried not to laugh, but then did a little before giving Kai a spanking. "Oh, go to bed, you!" She told him as Kai smirked and closed the bedroom door behind him.

When he was gone, Victoria took her turn with Finn, first walking around the room with him and humming a gentle lullaby, feeding him, and then rocking him back and forth until he shut his eyes and fell asleep.

After he was tucked in, instead of going back to bed, she walked around the house to savor what little silence she had. Then she sat down on the sofa, lay her head back, and soon she fell asleep, not waking up, even when Kai found her and carried her to bed.

* * *

Because of some trouble that suddenly popped up at the Council involving a group of young boys using their magic to bring people to life, and the subsequent thinking about their punishment (among other things) it took some time for Astrid to put Victoria's award presentation on the schedule, but when she finally did, she called Victoria immediately to let her know about it.

"I'm sorry this took so long," she apologized. "We've just been really busy."

"Don't you apologize," Victoria told her. "I completely understand. And besides, you're doing it now, so I can't complain."

"All right," Astrid said. "I'm glad you're happy. Is Saturday a good day for you? And this might seem like a weird request, but could you bring the babies too? They're part of it all, you know."

"Of course!" Victoria nodded. "No problem. I'll make it work."

"Thank you," Astrid nodded. "It seems like it'll be quite a day."

"Yes," Victoria agreed. "It really will."

* * *

"All right," Victoria told Kai the day of the ceremony after she'd got the twins dressed. "Would you watch them while I dress myself?"

"Sure," Kai replied. "And if you need help with your zipper, I'd be more than happy to give you a hand. And just a question: is this the sort of ceremony where they'll have snacks or something?"

"I can't say for sure," Victoria remarked. "But they usually have some sort of snack at every Council shindig. I promise you won't go hungry."

"All right," Kai nodded. "Good."

Eventually, Victoria finished getting dressed and Declan and Regina arrived just in time to get in the car with them and go.

"We're so proud of you for this award you're going to win," Declan told her. "Really, we are."

"Well, thanks," Victoria smiled. "And all I had to do to receive it is get possessed by the ghost of a crazy woman and nearly lose my life, and the lives of my babies."

"They're just as tough as you are," Regina smiled as Kai reluctantly handed his son to her because he wanted to carry him himself.

They sat in the back while Kai drove and Victoria sat in the passenger's seat. When they got to the ceremony, Declan and Regina sat with the babies while Victoria accepted the congratulations and thanks of various councilmembers. Then Astrid came to the podium and everyone was seated.

"You're gonna behave yourself for this, right?" Victoria whispered to Kai. "There won't be a scene like you made at Amanda and Viktor's wedding?"

"No," Kai shook his head earnestly. "I wouldn't ruin this day for you."

And when Astrid called her up to speak, he applauded harder for her than anyone else and even gave a whistle.

Victoria looked out at the crowd and said, "Well, I can't say I enjoyed what I got this award for. It's always stressful enough being pregnant, especially with twins, and to be possessed on top of that was…well, it wasn't fun. The only good part about it was that it finally allowed Edele to be caught and I suppose that was the bright spot in all of this: I wish I hadn't had to go through it, but if it got a dangerous criminal caught, it was worth it in the end. And also, I would like to thank the Council for their recognition, and everyone at the hospital who cared for Kai's and my babies and made sure that we would still be a family of four after the whole mess was over, instead of being a family of three, or just the two of us. Thank you." She stepped down to loud applause, and then Kai headed straight for the snack table.

"Are you going to stay since Kai is?" Regina asked. "Cause we can take the babies home with us for a bit if that's what you want."

"Sure," Victoria nodded. "Thanks. Do you need a key to the house so you can get all their stuff?"

"No," Regina shook her head. "We've got it. Congratulations, sweetie. Enjoy yourself."

"Thanks, Mom," Victoria told her. "You too."


	26. A Bond Formed At Last

"So, how are the babies?" Kol asked Regina over the phone. "Are they vessels of evil like their father, or delightful little children like their mother?"

"They're perfectly nice," Regina replied. "They _not_ vessels of evil. You should come and see them when Declan and I are babysitting them."

"Do you watch them a lot?" Kol asked.

"Not a lot," Regina said. "Their parents actually parent them, which is probably more than you think Kai is capable of, right?"

"Possibly," Kol said. "Kind of."

"Well, that's all the more reason for you to meet them," Regina told her father. "You can bring Uncle Klaus can come too, since you both hate Kai and that should be over and done with by now."

"Fine," Kol sighed. "Whatever, we'll come."

"Wonderful," Regina told him. "That's very sporting of you."

"Now you just have to call Victoria and tell _her_ ," he said. "Do you think she'll go for it?"

"Of course she will!" Regina replied. "She wants you all to get along more than I do. So I'll call her and tell her the plan and then we'll see what she says. But I'm pretty sure she'll agree to it all, so you're not out of the woods yet, Daddy."

"Well, I can still hope, can't I?" Kol asked.

"Goodbye," Regina said. "I'll call you back in a few minutes, all right?"

"All right," Kol said and then heaved a big sigh. "I'll be waiting eagerly by the phone for you."

Regina ended the call then and phoned her daughter. "Victoria?" She asked.

"No, it's Kai," he told her. "Victoria is feeding the babies right now."

"Ah," Regina replied. "All right then. Would you have her call me when she's done, please? I have something that I need to speak to her about."

"Well, why can't you tell me and then I'll give her the message?" Kai asked. "What's the big secret?"

"It's just…I want to have Daddy and Uncle Klaus come over and see the babies as a way to help them be more accepting of the whole situation," Regina explained. "And Victoria's in more of a position to help arrange that than you are."

"Well, at the very least, it's nice to be told so I can make arrangements to be elsewhere during their visit, right?" Kai said. "That's a good reason for me to answer the phone."

"Sure," Regina replied. "I guess you're right."

Kai then saw Victoria approach him and ask who he was talking to.

"It's your mother," he said and handed her the phone. "She wants to arrange a time for your grandfather and your uncle to come and meet the babies."

"You do?" Victoria asked her mother.

"Yes, I thought it would be convenient to have them visit some time when your father and I are watching the twins," Regina explained. "Is that all right with you?"

"I'd rather be there during the meeting, if you don't mind," Victoria said. "Please don't take that as some slight against your parenting abilities."

"Of course not," Regina assured her. "I completely understand. So…do you want me to bring them to your house instead?"

"Yeah, why not?" Victoria replied. "But it can't be for very long. We don't want Finn and Molly to get worn out."

"Oh, I know," Regina told her. "It'll just be a quick in and out. I promise." She ended the call and looked at Kai. "You want to hear what we just talked about? I think you should know."

"Well, I know most of it cause I was standing right here," Kai reminded her. "But why don't we go to our room and talk it out?"

"Sure," Victoria agreed. "Let's go."

* * *

"So your grandfather who murdered me and your uncle who kidnapped me are coming to our house to see the babies," Kai said to Victoria, his voice deadpan after she told him all the parts of the conversation that he'd not heard. "Is that some sort of warning for me to leave and come back after they've left?"

"You can be off doing something else if it makes you feel better, but it's not like they're coming alone," Victoria told him. "Mom, Grandma, and, and Aunt Amy will watch them like hawks so they can't hurt you. And for your part, don't do anything to piss them off on purpose. If you do, you deserve whatever they do to you."

"I don't know what you mean by that," Kai told her. "I've never done one irritating thing to them in my whole life."

"Oh, sure," Victoria nodded. "So you think they like it when they kiss you?"

"Well _I_ like the looks on their faces," Kai replied. Then he sighed. "But I suppose for the sake of family harmony that I'll find something else to do so I won't be around bothering people."

"Thank you," Victoria said. "I'm glad you understand. At least for now, I think it would be best to have you out of the way." She paused. "So…what do you plan on doing with yourself?"

"I don't know," Kai replied. "But I'll think of something. I promise you that."

* * *

"I wonder who's at the door?" Helene remarked and then got up to answer it. But Adrian sped ahead of her and put his hand on the knob first. "I'll get it," he insisted. "You sit."

"It seems like you know who's at the door," Helene smiled and sat down. "Who is it?"

"It's Kai," Adrian told her. "I invited him over. I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not," Helene replied. "It's nice to see you making friends. But I thought you didn't like him."

"Well, a person can be friends with someone and not like everything they do, right?" Adrian pointed out. "You don't like everything _I_ do, but you still like me."

"That's a good point," Helene conceded.

"Hey!" Kai called from the other side of the door. "Didn't you hear me knocking? Do I get to come in or not?"

"Sorry," Adrian apologized and opened the door. "Come in. Can we get you anything?"

"Lunch is gonna be in a few minutes," Helene told him as Kai sniffed the air. "It's spaghetti. Do you want some?"

"Yes, thank you," Kai nodded. "I do."

"You don't even need to ask," Adrian told her. "Just set a plate down in front of him."

"Ah," Helene smiled. "All right." She began scooping spaghetti onto plates and then asked Kai, "What brings you here?"

"I'm hiding out from your father-in-law," Kai told her. "He and Kol are at the house visiting the twins and I promised Victoria I would go elsewhere so I wouldn't be tempted to cause trouble."

"Ah," Helene smiled and shook her dark hair out of her face. "That was probably a good move on your part. And we're glad to have you here."

"Yeah," Adrian agreed. "Who would eat all this food with us if you weren't here? And you want a drink?"

"Sure," Kai nodded. "I'll have what you're having."

So Adrian got him a beer and then asked Helene, "Can we eat in front of the TV even though I know you don't usually allow that cause you're worried about stains on the sofa?"

"Oh, all right," Helene replied after looking at them with fondness for a few seconds. "Just let me do a little something first and then you can eat while you watch TV." She went and put a spell that repelled stains on the sofa cushions and then said, "All right. Now you can go eat in the living room."

"Now just a minute," Adrian told her. "You had a spell to stop there being stains on the sofa this whole time, but you didn't use it until now?"

"No," Helene shook her head. "Cause I thought it would be nice for us to eat together at the table and talk like adults instead of just mindlessly staring at the TV like zombies without saying a word to each other."

"Oh," Adrian nodded and kissed Helene's cheek. "Okay, I guess I understand that." He then sat down next to Kai in front of the TV and turned football on. "You want to join us?" He asked Helene.

"No, thanks," Helene told him. "I have a movie I've wanted to watch for a while that you wouldn't like so I'll do that in our room while you guys do your boy thing out here. But thanks for being concerned, though. And Kai, don't eat so fast. You're going to choke!"

Kai, who'd been shoveling spaghetti into his mouth paused, swallowed, and smiled at her. "Thank you," he said. "You sounded like Victoria just now."

"Well, I do what I can," Helene replied. "And if you run out and want more, it's on the stove."

"I probably will," Kai told her. "So thank you very much."

* * *

Meanwhile, things at home were a little more awkward. As Victoria expected, her grandmother and Aunt Amy took to the babies a lot quicker than Klaus and Kol did. They cuddled with them while Kol and Klaus sat awkwardly on the sofa. Finally, Amy said, "Come on, Klaus. Why don't you come and look at them for a little bit? It's not like they'll bite or they're the first babies you've ever handled."

"Well, it's just that they seem so small and I don't want to hurt them," Klaus replied. "You know how sometimes I hurt people."

"Yes, I do," Amy nodded. "But I don't think you need to worry."

"Yeah," Regina said, holding a baby out to him. "Take Molly. She's a tough one. And she's better with strangers than Finn is. It'll be okay."

Klaus sighed and then reached out to take the little girl. He then waited for her to panic or burst out crying, but she didn't. She actually seemed happy to be near him.

"See, I told you," Regina said. "She likes meeting new people." But Klaus didn't hold her interest for long. Once she got a look at Kol over his shoulder, she began to get excited and squirm a lot.

"What's she doing that for?" Kol asked.

"She wants to see you," Amy told him as she cuddled Finn. "She probably thinks you're her father. You and Kai _do_ look an awful lot alike."

Kol sighed and took Molly from Klaus, looking her in the eye and saying, "Let's get one thing straight, darling. I am not your father. I am better than your father, in every possible way. And since you seem to be smart enough to recognize that, I suppose I could be willing to let myself get close to you if you don't cause any trouble for me." He then held her close and Amy and Victoria smiled. "Well, isn't that sweet?" Amy said. "I think we need a picture, don't you?"

"Yeah," Victoria smiled. I really think we do."

"Do we have to?" Kol asked. "You're making much too big of a deal about this."

"No, we're not," Margot shook her head. "Not one of us expected you to bond with these children at all, and yet you're doing it. We certainly do need something to remember it cause otherwise, you'll just pretend like it never happened." She snapped the picture and then Victoria said, "All right, Miss Molly. Time to give Grandpa Kol a break."

But Molly seemed very intent to stay right where she was and let out a terrible shriek when Victoria tried to move her, which worked Finn up too.

"All right, all right," Victoria said and stepped away with her hands raised. "I'll let you stay right where you are. My goodness."

Kol then smiled down at the little girl. "You have very good taste," he told her. "I think I'm going to like you."


	27. Facing Another Dragon

"Well, that was a really good dinner," Kai told Victoria. "As usual. But…can I say one thing? You haven't eaten very much lately. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Victoria nodded. "Thanks for noticing. "I just…I haven't felt like having food lately. Plus, I always feel like I'm depriving you of nourishment if I make food for you and then take some of it away for myself. I know that's messed up, but I just…have you noticed that I tend to eat more when you make food for _me_?"

"I didn't realize that until you said it just now," Kai told her, but now that you mention it, that's very true." He paused. "Look, I know I eat a lot, but I don't want you to feel like you're depriving me of food if you eat yourself. That's ridiculous." He got out pots and pans and began pulling stuff from the refrigerator. "I'm gonna make you something. What do you want?"

"Oh, you don't have to go to all that trouble to feed me," Victoria told him.

"I have to insist that you eat more," Kai said. "The fact that you're not just really worries me."

Victoria got up, backed him into the living room, and pushed him back onto the carpet before she straddled him and ripped off his shirt so that his neck and chest were exposed. "I said you didn't have to cook for me," she said. "That doesn't mean I'm not gonna eat." She smiled at him and then leaned down to sink her fangs into his neck as his arms went around her and up into her hair.

When she finally pulled away, she was grinning at him and his blood was dribbling down her chin. "I love so much that I can do that now without worrying that I was hurting you or putting you at death's door because I took too much. Don't _you_ like it, Kai?"

"I certainly do," Kai agreed. "This is probably the closest we'll come to playing our games for a while. Or do you think we could get away with spending time in the play room when the kids are still so young?"

"Of course we can," Victoria assured him. "I'm _very_ certain that my parents didn't let having a kid get in the way of their fun, so we can do it too. At the very least, we can pick nights when we want to do it and have Mom and Dad babysit. If anyone could understand what we need, they would."

"Fine, but if that's the logic we're going with, you're gonna be the one who talks to them about it," Kai told her. "Okay?"

"Of course," Victoria nodded. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

The next day, Victoria got a very angry phone call, which took all thoughts of time in the play room out of her mind.

"Victoria, I have to say that I'm very disappointed in you," her grandma Gwen huffed from the other end of the line. "How is it that everyone else knows you and your children are okay, but I had to hear it second hand from Eva? You haven't forgotten about me, have you?"

"No, of course not," Victoria assured her. "But as you know, Kai and I are living together now and since so many people are iffy about him, I'm introducing people to the idea slowly. I was gonna call you soon. I promise."

"Were you really?" Gwen asked. "Don't lie to me, Victoria."

"No, I really _was!_ " Victoria insisted. "I mean, Daddy had to remind me first, but it was on my mind after that."

Gwen sighed. "Since that's what I'm dealing with, we might as well set up a time for me to come and visit right now. How about tomorrow?"

"Does it have to be so soon?" Victoria asked. "I mean, Kai is just recovering from Grandpa Kol and Uncle Klaus coming to visit. Can't we give him a few more days before you come?"

"Oh, for heaven's sake!" Gwen huffed. "What sort of soft, fragile man did you tie yourself to that he can't handle a visit from a few relatives? After what he experienced with his mother, we should be a vast improvement for him!"

"So that's a 'No' on waiting a few more days?" Victoria clarified.

"Yes it is," Gwen confirmed. "When do you want your grandfather and me to come tomorrow?"

Victoria sighed. "Come whenever you want," she said. "We'll be waiting."

"Good," Gwen replied. "And try to sound happier to see us tomorrow, would you?"

"Sorry," Victoria apologized. She ended the call and then ran to tell Kai what had just happened.

" _More_ relatives?" Kai cried. "How crazy is this one?"

"You've met Grandma Gwen, even though it was a while ago," Victoria reminded him. "Remember when I was still twelve and I brought that scary blonde lady into your cell and she beat the hell out of you? She's also a witch, by the way."

"Oh, yes, her!" Kai said. "I _do_ remember her. To be entirely honest, I'd take her over your grandfather or your uncle any day."

"She's bringing my grandfather too," Victoria added. "Should I invite some reinforcements over? Like Mom and Dad, or Sean and Eva, or maybe Aunt Vivi and Uncle King? King's my dad's half-brother, and if anyone can keep her in check, he can."

"All right," Kai replied. "Invite who you want. It's not like I know them all well enough to tell a difference."

"Sorry you're having to meet so many people," Victoria apologized. "I tried to have Grandma Gwen wait a few days, but apparently, she felt we've waited long enough."

"I don't mind," Kai told her. "Really. You'll make it up to me later, right?"

"Oh, of course I will," Victoria nodded. "Definitely. Because you're being an awfully good sport."

* * *

After going through the list of people she could call for backup, she finally chose King and Vivi, even though of course, she gave her father a heads-up about what was going on too.

"Do you need me to come," he asked her. "Because I will. I know my mother sort of foisted herself on you and you don't have to handle this by yourself."

"Thanks, but I think we'll be okay," Victoria told him. "I called Uncle King and Aunt Vivi and they said they would come and run interference."

"Good," Declan told her. "You made a good choice. Tell me how everything turns out, all right? And remember that if things get too difficult, you can call me to come too."

"All right," Victoria nodded. "I won't forget that, I promise." Just as she hung up, the doorbell rang.

"Do you want me to get that?" Kai asked.

"No, I will," Victoria told him. "How are Finn and Molly looking now? Should we wait to bring them out until Grandma gets here, or can we bring them out now?"

"I'll go check," Kai replied.

While he was doing that, Victoria answered the door and let King and Vivi in. "I see you're calm, Victoria," King said. "That means my mother's not here yet."

"No, but she said she could pop by at any time," Victoria told him. "That's my punishment for waiting so long to tell her about everything that's happened."

"And I don't know why she's holding it against you," Vivi said. "That wasn't your fault. You've had a lot on your mind lately."

"You're damn right I have," Victoria nodded.

King sighed and took her hand. "I know my mother is hard to deal with, but just take a breath and tell yourself that once you get through this, you won't have to deal with the same sort of thing ever again, cause later, you'll have experience."

"True," Victoria nodded. "Thanks for that. I needed it." She then got up to go check on Kai just when he appeared in the living room holding on to Molly.

"Would you get Finn?" He asked Victoria. "I was a bit nervous about carrying both of them at once."

"Good thought taking one at a time, then," Victoria said.

Kai then headed toward the sofa where Vivi scooted over a little so he could sit down as Victoria went to grab Finn. "Thanks," he said with a smile. "You know, you really look like Amy."

Vivi smiled and held out her arms to take Molly. "She's my mom. I'm Vivian, but everyone calls me Vivi. And you are?"

"I'm Kai," Kai replied. "It's nice not to have someone just look at me and go 'You're the crazy guy who was in jail all that time'. It's usually only Victoria that looks at me with that attitude." Then he looked at King. "Are we gonna have a problem?" He asked.

"No, why would we?" King asked.

"Sorry," Kai apologized. "It's just a question I'm used to asking people. Especially guys who look like you."

"My dad's been giving him trouble," Vivi interpreted.

"Ah, I understand now," King said. "I know what that's like."

"Do you?" Kai asked with interest. "Not fun, is it?"

"No," King shook his head. "Not really. And he and my dad have some sort of millennia-long rivalry going on because Klaus was evidence that his mom cheated on my dad and there you go. Fun stuff."

"Yeah," Kai nodded. "Sounds like it."

When Victoria came back into the living room empty-handed, Kai asked, "What's going on?"

"I don't know if I should bring Finn out to meet Grandma and Grandpa just yet," she said. "He might find them a bit overwhelming since he's so tiny and much more fragile than his sister."

"Bring them both out," King told her. "Mom's already mad enough about being made to wait. If you make her wait longer, you'll have to hear about it even more. Just bring him out and hold onto him for dear life while calmly explaining that due to the circumstances under which he was born, you need to watch him and can't just hand him out to anyone."

"Wow," Vivi remarked. "That's very perceptive, King."

"Of course it is!" King told her. "You know I occasionally have my moments."

Feeling incredibly doubtful but knowing her uncle was right, Victoria went and got Finn, but held him close to herself as if someone would steal him away if she didn't. Then they all sat with bated breath on the sofa waiting for the doorbell to ring.

When it did, Victoria asked King, "Would you go get the door, please?"

"Sure," King nodded. "I'll take the bullet."

He shook his blond head, went and opened the door and his mother looked taken aback. "What are _you_ doing answering the door, King? I was expecting Victoria to do it."

"Well, it's nice to see you too, Mother," King said as he gesture for both his parents to come inside. "Please, come in and shine your light of love and decency on all of us."

"Oh, don't sass your mother," Gwen said, narrowing her eyes at him. "That's not polite."

"It might not be polite," Mikael added coming in behind her. "But it sure is funny."

"Whose side are you on anyway?" Gwen asked, glowering at him.

"Come on, Gwendolyn," Mikael chuckled. "Learn how to take a joke. I think it would do you a _world_ of good."

Gwen chose to ignore this and made a beeline for Vivi. "Which one is that one?" She asked. "I know there's two of them."

"This one is Molly," Vivi looked at Victoria. "That's her name, right?"

"Yeah," Victoria nodded from her spot on the sofa. "That's right. And Grandma, if you're plotting to take her under your wing, Grandpa Kol's already claimed her."

"Has he?" Gwen asked, eyebrow raised. She then went over to look at Finn, whom Victoria still clutched close to her. "Would you relax, Victoria dear?" She asked her impatiently. "I'm not going to hurt him."

"Of course I don't think you would," Victoria said. "But he's a little sensitive around strangers and I don't want him to be overwhelmed."

"Just trust me, will you please?" Gwen asked, surprisingly calm. At last, Victoria handed Finn over and for once, he didn't scream his guts out in the arms of a stranger. In fact, he looked at Gwen with interest.

"What a good boy," she said and smiled. She was so taken with Finn that she only went to see Molly (who'd spent her time with Mikael and King) just before she and Mikael left. "She seems like a strong one," she complimented. "I see good things in store for her."

Victoria smiled, but then that quickly was erased when Gwen confronted Kai (who'd sat quietly most of the time and not done a single wrong thing) and told him that she'd pay close attention to how he was treating her granddaughter, and that if she sensed something was wrong, she'd come and deal with it promptly.

"Oh, have more faith in your granddaughter," Kai said, staring her down. "If there's a problem, she can handle it for sure without your help. You just want to come here and stick your nose into everyone's business instead of minding your own."

"Well, he seems to have your number down pretty well, Gwendolyn," Mikael said. "I _like_ him."

"I don't," Gwen huffed.

"Well, it's nice to see that we agree on something!" Kai shouted after her.

When they were gone, King told Kai, "You handled that remarkably well."

"She…she reminded me of my mother," Kai said quietly. "Not really as bad, but awfully close. But Finn seems to like her. I don't know what that means."

"Really?" King asked, his eyes widening a little when he heard Kai say that Gwen was like his mother. "I'm gonna go get myself a drink. You want one?"

"Yes," Kai said as Victoria and Vivi put twins back to bed. "Please."

* * *

"I think someone is in love with his grandchildren," Margot smiled at Kol. "You can admit it. It's all right."

"Well, Molly has a lot of potential," Kol admitted. "She has the good sense to like me and that's a good place to start. But Finn, I don't know. Kind of scrawny, isn't he?"

"Yes, he's small, but think of all he went through and survived," Margot pointed out. "Doesn't that count for something? "

"True," Kol admitted. "If you look at it that way, I might be able to do something with both of them."

"It's nice that you want to bond with them, but don't you go trying to alienate them from their father," Margot warned. "That's not very nice. And I think you'll just have Molly to meddle with. Apparently your stepmother has chosen to look after Finn. I can't see a battle between the two of you ending well."

"Why not?" Kol asked. "I would win for sure. And wouldn't I be the better influence anyway? Between Gwen and Kai, the kids are heading for trouble."

"You'd be good, sure, but children need their father," Margot told him.

"You know, that's a funny thing to say, darling," Kol chuckled and gave her a kiss. "Cause I didn't spend much time with mine and look how well I turned out."

"I know how you want me to respond to that and it won't happen, so I'll just step away and let you be in your own little fantasy," Margot told him. "I'll be in the bedroom when you come back to earth."

Kol indulged his fantasies about mentoring Molly and Finn a little longer and then headed to the bedroom where Margot met him at the door in a blue negligee and after he'd closed the door and they'd stripped down, they threw the covers over their heads and clung to one another as he pushed into her until they were both panting with exhaustion.


	28. Not Everything Is Fair

"Oh, come on, Kol," Margot said, pounding on the bathroom door. "I need to get in there and wash my hair! Surely you've used your whole batch of hair products by now."

"Maybe," Kol called back from the other side of the closed door. "What's the password?"

Margot paused, suddenly realizing what he was doing: it was a game they used to play to get each other into the bathroom naked, but they hadn't done it in a while so what he'd said had thrown her off. "I don't need a password," she said, grabbing the door handle. "You better be ready, cause I'm coming in there whether you like it or not!" She then threw the door open and her eyes widened as Kol stood naked in front of the mirror, brushing his hair. Then, he turned to smile at her. "Good morning, darling. If you don't know the password, you have to tell me how handsome I am. Would you do that?"

"Maybe," Margot smiled. "Would you tell me I'm pretty?"

"Of course," Kol nodded. "I don't see any reason why not."

"And I know that you like fussing about Kai and stuff, but I…can I ask that we stay in today and you don't go anywhere else?"

"That depends," Kol replied. "Will you be dressing today?"

"Will you stop asking me stupid questions and just kiss me, you handsome idiot?" Margot countered.

"Of course I will," Kol smiled. "Remember, I like pretty things with sharp tongues."

Margot chuckled and backed him up against the wall, baring her fangs. "What about sharp teeth?" She asked, just scraping his neck.

"Yes," Kol nodded. "Sharp teeth too. Why not? As for Kai, I think I'll let Nik handle him. I deserve a day off."

"That's exactly what I was thinking too," Margot agreed, ruffling Kol's neatly combed hair.

Then Kol kissed her, took the phone off the hook, and the two of them headed back to bed. Or they stared to, before Margot asked him to help her in the shower.

* * *

"Come on, Dad," Adrian said to Klaus when Klaus heard that Adrian and Kai were friends and ordered him over so he could read him the riot act. "Kai's not so bad. I don't see what's wrong about being friends with him. Is there some unwritten rule that because _you_ hate him, I have to feel the same way?"

"Yes," Klaus replied, his voice curt and cold. "It's called familial loyalty and you're showing a distinct lack of it."

"And I think you're being a complete asshole for no good reason!" Adrian shot back.

Klaus then transformed into a wolf and he and Adrian began tussling. Soon, a broken lamp brought Amy running, however. "What in the world is going on here?" She asked after whacking Klaus with a newspaper so that he moved away from a bleeding and heavily panting Adrian and hung his head in shame for a few seconds and then looked up at Amy to see if it worked and she was feeling sorry for him.

"Dad's upset because I'm friends with Kai," Adrian explained while Amy pointedly ignored Klaus. "He apparently feels that I have some familial duty to hate Kai as much as he does and I think that's silly."

"Yes, that _is_ silly," Amy agreed. Klaus then bumped his head against her thigh, a gesture with a very familiar meaning for her. "No, I am not going to pet you," she told him and stepped away. "Not when you're behaving this badly. Now go turn back into a person and if you want to discuss this further, we will."

Klaus then stalked off and then came back a few minutes later. "No, thanks," he huffed. "I don't want to think about it anymore."

"I'm not gonna stop being friends with him," Adrian said firmly. "And you're just gonna have to get used to that."

"Get out," Klaus snapped.

"Oh, fine!" Adrian shouted back. "I was just about to leave anyway."

"That was well-handled," Amy said sarcastically as Adrian slammed the door behind him. "Is it really _so_ bad that Adrian's friends with Kai? What's the problem?"

"Well, it's just not _fair,_ is it?" Klaus huffed. "Here Kai is some horrible criminal in the magical world and what does Astrid do? Gives him a girlfriend, lets him go free, and then everyone is friends with him and thinks he's wonderful. What did she do with me? Saddle me with a keeper and basically brand me as public enemy number one! If that's not showing favoritism, I don't know what is. It's probably because he has powers and I don't."

"I didn't know you were so against my being around," Amy replied in surprise. "You want me to go?"

"No, of course not," Klaus shook his head. "I'm sorry. But you can't deny that I've become very domesticated ever since you and I got together. I have lots of bad stuff stored up in me and not a lot of ways to get it out. Being mad about Kai is the one of the ways."

"But is it worth alienating Adrian?" Amy asked. "You only have one other son besides him and you don't see Robbie very often."

Klaus sighed. "I suppose not. If I'm mad about Kai, I shouldn't take it out on Adrian." He gave Amy a look. "But don't you tell me that I'm not allowed to be mad about Kai at all."

"Oh, no, I won't," Amy shook her head. "Trust me, I wouldn't want to be labeled as the one who stopped you from having any way at all to vent your anger. Did Alistair push you as hard as I do to reform?"

"No," Klaus said. "Our being together started out as a punishment for him, remember? He had to do whatever I said with his magic and most of that was bad stuff. He got so used to what I did over the years that it kind of just…was how it was."

"All right," Amy nodded. "I suppose if Alistair, who's one of the most moral guys I know, can handle you like that, I can try."

"Of course you can!" Klaus agreed. "Especially when you'll be doing the same sort of dark stuff that I am. You hunt people now, remember?"

Amy gasped. "I didn't even think of that as one of the things I should be warning you away from. My god, what's happening to me?"

"You're adjusting," Klaus replied, coming to kiss her. "And that's a very, _very_ good thing." He paused. "Selina came over the other day and you two seemed to have fun together. Did you enjoy hunting with her? Maybe we should invite her over more often."

"Yes, I did enjoy myself," Amy agreed. "So maybe we should. Although she'll probably insist Elijah come with them."

"No," Klaus corrected. "It'll be _he_ that does the insisting. I know my brother well, and that's what he'll do. Even though Selina and I haven't been a couple for years, the thought of us in the same room without a chaperon still makes him nervous."

"Should I be?" Amy asked playfully.

"No, the only person you should worry about when it comes to me is yourself," Klaus chuckled. "I have very little control around you."

"Good," Amy smiled. "You're not so bad yourself."

* * *

"I really like what you did with the house," Regina said to Victoria as they walked around while Kai trailed after them. Then, she stopped in front of the play room and Kai's hand squeezed Victoria's hard enough that her fingers cracked.

"What's in this room?" Regina asked.

"Oh, that's the play room," Victoria replied.

"You got the twins a play room?" Regina asked. "How sweet!"

"No, it's not for the twins, actually," Victoria corrected. "It's for us. It's for Kai and me."

"Is it really?" Regina smiled. "Isn't that fun? Can I have a look in it? Or would you prefer I didn't?"

"Why shouldn't you?" Kai asked. "It's not like it's nothing you've never seen before. And you still did stuff like that when Victoria was little, right?"

"Oh, of course," Regina nodded. "If you ever wanna indulge yourselves, just tell Declan and me and we'll watch the twins, no problem." She then opened the door and looked around with amazement. "Wow," she enthused, her jaw dropping a little. "This is much better than anything your father and I ever had, Victoria."

"Well, maybe you should upgrade," Victoria suggested. "Talk to Dad about it."

"Oh, I sure will," Regina told her, asking Victoria to zap her up a camera so she could take photos to show Declan exactly what she was talking about. After that, Regina visited the twins again.

"I just can't stay away from these two," she said as she held them both on her lap. "They're just so adorable! How have they handled all the new people visiting? Good?"

"It seems like it," Victoria nodded. "It seems also that Finn has a fondness for Grandma Gwen, though, and I just don't know what to do about that. Should I be nervous or not?"

"Why should you be nervous?" Regina questioned. "I started helping Grandpa Mikael with his hunting work when I was young and my parents never worried. You were visiting Kai in jail as a kid and it doesn't seem to have affected you in a negative way. I really think Finn will be all right if he and your grandma Gwen _do_ establish a bond. But if you do get worried, you can always talk to King and I'm sure he'll be more than happy to run interference."

"We don't need him," Kai scoffed. "I can handle her myself. And I don't know if I _do_ want my son near her. She doesn't seem much different from my mother and so I have this terrible feeling that once she finds out it's gonna take Finny a bit longer to get his powers, she's going to start mistreating him, and he doesn't deserve that."

"I know Grandma Gwen may seem a bit intense," Victoria said, putting a hand in Kai's. "But she's really not as bad as she seems. More bark than bite, really. Especially if she likes you, and I truly believe she's taken a liking to Finny, so it's not the same as the situation you had with your mother where she decided to hate you because you weren't a girl. Trust me on this, please."

"All right," Kai nodded. "I'll try. I really will."

"Good," Victoria said. "It won't be so bad. I promise."

"Well, I think it's time for me to take my pictures and go talk to your father," Regina said after a few seconds of silence. "Unless you two need me for anything more?"

"No, go talk to Daddy," Victoria encouraged her mother. "And tell us what he says. I'm eager to know."

"All right," Regina smiled and hugged her daughter. "I will."


	29. A Night With My Best Friend

"I can't believe you told your father that you cared about Kai to his face," Helene told Adrian as she came up behind him after clearing the dinner dishes away and kissed his neck. "What did he say to that? It was a very nice thing for you to do."

"He turned into a wolf and attacked me," Adrian said dryly. "There's a big surprise; Dad is jealous and acted like a kid. Something that's happened a million times."

"Well, I'm just glad you're okay," Helene told him. "I wouldn't want you to be really hurt."

"That's so sweet, babe," Adrian smiled and pulled Helene onto his lap, giving her a kiss as his hand went up her thigh. "I love you too."

"You should tell Kai what you said," Helene told him. "I'm sure he'd love to hear it."

"Guys don't tell each other stuff like that!" Adrian exclaimed, looking so horrified that he stood up quickly from his chair and Helene fell on her butt on the floor with a cry. "Don't you go calling him or anything like that and inviting him and Victoria to dinner. If she sees me pouring out my feelings, it will be worse. Don't do it!"

"Why not?" Helene asked. "The guy needs a friend, and I like being around Victoria. I don't care what you say, I'm inviting them anyway!"

"Be sure to make lots of food at dinner," Adrian warned her. "Remember how Kai eats us out of house and home."

"Oh, I will," Helene assured him. "Don't worry. And is it all right if I tell Victoria it's all right for her to bring their babies with them? I know you have a thing about children, especially ones who are close to showing their powers, and the twins are around five months old now. Although, thanks to the circumstances under which they were born, who knows how long it will be until their powers come? I don't think you have anything to worry about. If I did, I wouldn't suggest it."

"All right," Adrian nodded after taking a deep breath. "I know you like seeing them so I won't wreck that for you. I'll probably be so busy with Kai that they won't bother me anyway."

"Thank you," Helene said as she headed to the phone. "It'll really be a fun evening for all of us. I just know it."

* * *

"Thank you so much for letting us bring the babies to dinner," Victoria thanked Helene as she and Kai both brought Finn and Molly in, setting the five-month-olds and their carriers in the living room and put the double stroller by the kitchen table. "But it really wouldn't have been any trouble to have someone watch them."

"Oh, don't be silly," Helene replied. "I like seeing them. And they're so well-behaved. It's really no trouble at all."

"Does Adrian still have a thing about children?" Kai asked. "Are you sure this is a good idea? Usually when you see them, he's not here, but this time, he is."

"He might still have a thing about babies, but one, he's mentally prepared for these two being here and will behave himself accordingly, and two, if Adrian knows that he won't have to keep the kids forever, he's much calmer with them," Helene assured her. "Everything will be fine. Don't worry." She called to Adrian that Kai and Victoria had come and when Adrian came down the stairs, she was surprised to see how neat he looked. He actually wore a navy blue polo and corduroy pants instead of his usual t-shirt and ripped jeans.

"You look very nice," she commented. "In fact, you and Kai _both_ do."

Kai was wearing a black shirt and dark jeans. He caught Adrian's eye and said, "I wanted to look nice. Thanks for noticing." They then turned away from each other, slight blushes coloring their cheeks as they busied themselves with setting the table.

"I don't think we're the ones our husbands wanted to look nice for," Helene whispered loudly to Victoria as they each cradled one of the babies. "Aren't they just _adorable_?"

"Yep," Victoria nodded. "I couldn't agree more."

Once the tables were set and the twins were sitting in their high chairs with Victoria and Helene going back and forth between feeding them and feeding themselves (especially with Molly, this was a necessity. Anytime Kai tried to feed her, he would always have his own food near him and be tempted to give it to her when she wasn't ready yet, and she'd even taken to reaching for it herself.)

Meanwhile, Kai and Adrian chatted, ate, and drank, seeming to really enjoy themselves, which had been the point of this meeting in the first place.

After they ate, Kai could barely move and he and Adrian had finished several beers between them, so Helene stood up and said, "Why don't we go take a walk? It'll clear both your heads."

"Our heads are fine," Kai replied. "Adrian has nice hair." He reached out to play with Adrian's hair. "See? Pretty." Adrian smiled and looked as if he enjoyed being petted like an animal.

"I still think we should go out and walk around," Helene repeated as she and Victoria helped their husbands up and put the twins in their stroller. "Maybe we could go walk around downtown? Look in the windows?"

"That would be fun!" Victoria exclaimed.

"Would it be too much for the twins?" Helene asked.

"No," Victoria shook her head. "They can sleep in the stroller while we walk."

"All right then," Helene said. They rounded up their husbands and soon they had arrived downtown.

"All right," Victoria said, trying to take hold of what limited attention Adrian and Kai had. "I want you two to hold each other's hands, all right? That way we'll be less likely to lose both of you." Of course she realized that they could both run off at once, but she didn't think that they would.

"Okay," Kai nodded. Thankfully they were both hammered enough that they did what she asked without question. If they'd been sober, there would have been a fight and she didn't have it in her to deal with that.

As she and Helene walked with the stroller and looked in the shop windows while the twins slept, Kai and Adrian stumbled after them. When they heard a cry, they paused the stroller and turned around just in time to see Adrian catch Kai as he stumbled on a bit of pavement. He held him a little too long and whispered something in his ear, presumably asking whether Kai was okay or not.

It was while this was going on that two other couples happened by. One looked at them with disgust and muttered something about how men like them should have the decency to only show affection in private, and the other saying with fond smiles, "Aren't those two boys cute? They make a lovely couple."

This caused both Victoria and Helene to burst into giggles as the remark made Kai and Adrian spring apart, shock in their eyes, while Adrian shouted after the second pair, "We _aren't_ a couple! Our wives are right there!"

But the second couple was too far away to hear them and when Kai and Adrian returned to their wives, they seemed much more clear-headed than they had previously been.

"Can you _believe_ those people?" Adrian asked Helene and scoffed. "Thinking Kai and I are a couple. Are they dumb or what?"

"Oh, I don't know," Helene replied, a sly smirk on her face. "You two were looking awfully chummy. I was beginning to get jealous."

"Yeah," Victoria added. "Me too."

"Oh, shut up!" Kai said and pouted. "I wanna go home now." He crossed his arms and then stomped back to the car with Adrian following him.

Helene looked at Victoria and sighed. "I know we said we were gonna look down the whole block, but we really shouldn't let them drive themselves home, should we?"

"No, we shouldn't," Victoria agreed. "We can always come back later on our own." As they headed back to the car, Finn woke up and began crying, so Victoria picked him up, held him for a bit before putting him in his car seat, and thinking that maybe they picked the right time to leave after all.

* * *

When they got home, Victoria fed and changed the twins and then put them to bed before meeting everyone else back in the living room, where Kai and Adrian made an announcement.

"Kai and I have decided that he and Victoria aren't gonna leave yet," he said. "And if you don't like it, then tough for you." He sat down then and looked very smug.

"You know, that's not a bad idea," Helene told him and then caught Victoria's eye. "It'd probably be best for the two of you to stay here in the state you're in. If it's all right with you, that is."

Victoria shrugged. "Well, we already have the twins settled in the other room resting comfortably, so why the hell not?"

They stayed up until Adrian and Kai drifted off to sleep, leaning against each other on the sofa. Then Helene and Victoria went to bed solo for a good night's rest of their own.

* * *

Adrian was awakened early the next morning by the sound of one of the twins crying. He looked around and stood up, which made Kai, who had his head against his shoulder and was snoring gently, fall onto the sofa, ending up on his side. He opened his eyes and looked around. His head was pounding and he was hungry. "Do you feel up to hunting?" He asked his friend. "Or do you feel like someone stuck a sword through your head too?"

"Oh, yes," Adrian nodded and fell back onto the sofa. "Fortunately, we have two very kind wives who'll probably be more than willing to feed us. What do you think?"

Kai shrugged. "It wouldn't hurt."

They went in search of Victoria and Helene. Adrian found his wife first and said, "I don't feel like I can go hunting, but I'm hungry. Can I just take some from you for now?"

"I knew you'd ask that," Helene replied and patted the mattress, a corner of her mouth up. "Come on. But you have to give me some of your blood back, remember?"

"Of course," Adrian nodded. "Do I need to get a bowl or something for you to hold onto in case you feel like you need to throw it up?"

"I think I can handle it now, but that probably wouldn't hurt," Helene agreed. "Thanks for checking."

Adrian went to get a bowl and put it on the mattress while Helene pushed her long dark hair off her neck and then took a deep breath. "All right," she told him. "I'm ready."

He put his arms around her and kissed her, helping her slip off her clothes and soon, they were both naked, sweaty and clutching each other tightly. Helene breathed heavily, her nails going down his back as she waited for the feeling of his teeth against her neck. When it came, she stiffened for a couple of painful seconds and then he began to draw her blood out while running his hands over her body. Then he backed out of her and rubbed her gently, feeling her calm at last as he stopped feeding and lay her back down on her pillow. "Are you okay?" He whispered against her ear.

"Yeah," she breathed. "Yeah, I'm fine, thanks." She looked dazed as he licked the excess blood off her neck, but that was normal so he wasn't worried. Now came the hard part. He went to get a knife and cut his arm, holding it out to her after putting the bowl in her lap. "Ready?" He asked, his blue eyes full of concern. "We don't have to do this until you're ready."

"I'm good," Helene nodded resolutely. "Let's just do this before I think about it too much and chicken out." She grabbed his arm and slurped with gusto before quickly letting his arm go and swallowing before she really registered the taste of it. This made her cough and sputter, but since she managed to get most of it down, Adrian thought she'd be okay.

"Good job," he praised her as he took her in his arms and she laid her head against his shoulder. "You're a real champ."

"Thank you," Helene chuckled a little. You're too kind. Do I have any blood on my face?"

"Just a little," Adrian replied and put some spit on his finger to wash off the bit at the corner of her mouth. "There," he said after. "That's better. You're beautiful."

Elsewhere in the house, Kai and Victoria, of course, weren't having the same trouble, as blood-sharing was more of a typical thing for them than it was for their friends.

"You're such a good wife," Kai told Victoria as she zapped them both up coffees afterward.

"I know," Victoria told him. "But you'll pay me back for all this later. Helene and I are gonna go out shopping again and I'll need you to watch the twins then. Just don't go giving Molly any real food. She's too little."

"I have reasons why I do that," Kai informed her. "The stuff you're giving her is garbage. I tried those mashed up peas and they're gross even with blood mixed in." He shuddered. "You know I'll eat anything, but _that's_ where I draw the line."

"I can't believe you ate baby food!" Victoria told him, even though she'd sneaked some mashed up bananas at one point herself.

"It was only _one_ time," Kai told her. "Molly wasn't eating it and I thought she would if I was an example. I don't think the disgusted look on my face convinced her, though. And just for experimentation's sake, I tried it again with the blood, and it was _still_ gross."

"Well then I guess we can sit back and be grateful that we're big enough for grown-up food, can't we?" Victoria asked dryly.

"Definitely," Kai nodded. "You won't hear any complaints about that from me." He then turned his head. "Speaking of grown-up food, I smell bacon."

"Me too," Victoria agreed. "Someone must be making breakfast."

"Well then why are we sitting here?" Kai asked. "Let's get the twins and go downstairs!"

"All right," Victoria said, standing up and opening the door for him. "Are you well enough to carry one of them?"

"Yeah," Kai nodded. "I'm sure I can. I'll take Molly. You take Finn."

"Good," Victoria replied. "Sounds like a plan."


	30. I Can Do Anything Better Than You

"I haven't heard a word from Adrian for days!" Klaus complained to Amy. "Why won't he talk to me?"

"Well, you _did_ attack him and complain about his choice of friends," Amy reminded him. "If you'd done that to me, I'd wait some time before talking to you again too." She paused. "Are you just gonna sit by the phone and wait for it to ring?"

"No, I'm a man of action!" Klaus told her. "I'm going to keep calling him until he talks to me."

"That's not a good idea," Amy told him as he took out his phone and prepared to leave Adrian yet _another_ angry message. She took the phone out of his hand and put it on the table. "Let's you and I go hunting instead."

"You want me to go hunting with you?" Klaus asked. "I suppose you could use some more practice."

"No, I don't _need_ practice!" Amy shook her head impatiently. "I've done it a million times. Just because I'm more moral about hunting doesn't mean I'm incompetent!"

"All right," Klaus said. "But remember, I'm here for you if anything goes wrong."

They headed to the woods and Amy said that she wanted to go off by herself and find someone to eat just to prove that she could.

"All right," Klaus replied. "Whatever you say. I can't wait to see what happens."

He had just finished snacking on a man whom he'd caught on a picnic (and was about to start on his girlfriend who'd come to look for him) when he heard a racket. Compelling the terrified woman to stay where she was, he followed the noise and found Amy fighting over a body with another vampire.

They were both snapping and scratching, their faces covered with blood as they pulled a terrified man back and forth between them, not even wincing at his scream when his shoulder was pulled out of its socket. Klaus thought about stopping her, and even tried a little bit, but Amy wouldn't let him, and even though he was much stronger and could have stopped her easily, when she pushed him away, he backed away and stood against a tree with his arms crossed to watch the fight. Finally, Amy and the other vampire got a good look at each other when the other vampire got a hold of the body and then pulled it back with such force that she stumbled backward too and Amy realized that she'd been fighting Victoria. She said, "I'm sorry. You can have that if you want."

"Are you sure?" Victoria asked once she'd calmed and came back to herself. "I'd be more than happy to share."

"Oh, no," Amy shook her head. "This is probably one of the rare times you've been able to get out and I don't want to ruin it for you."

"Well, aren't you sweet?" Victoria smiled. "Thank you." The man was complaining about his dislocated shoulder and begging Victoria to take him to the hospital, but Victoria just shook her head and dragged him off to Kai. A few minutes later, Amy and Klaus heard a yell, and then Amy went to snuggle against her husband. "I bet you're disappointed in me, huh?" She said. "You think I was too soft."

"Oh, no I don't," Klaus shook his head. "I think you did remarkably well, considering how new you are to all this and how experienced Victoria is. I commend you. Did you get enough blood before Victoria showed up? I have another body waiting if you didn't."

"Yeah," Amy nodded. "I think I would like that."

"Oh, and as a bonus, the people I killed came with a picnic basket, including a bottle of wine," Klaus added, kissing her and smiling. "What would you say to a nice romantic picnic in the forest?"

"I would _love_ it," Amy smiled. Then she grabbed a wet nap out of her pocket and wiped off her face. "I want to be clean before I start eating. You want one too? I brought a couple."

"No, thanks," Klaus shook his head and began leading Amy back to the waiting woman. "I'll just be messy later too. There's no point in me cleaning up now."

* * *

"I'm so glad that you and Adrian are friends," Victoria told Kai as they walked hand in hand toward the car after another hunting trip, blood around both their mouths. It had been weird meeting Klaus and Amy on the hunt, but it had turned out well enough, even after the fight. "I think it's good for you to have a friend. We should invite him or him and Helen both over to our house sometime."

"Yeah," Kai nodded. "I really like him too. But not a lot. You don't have to worry."

"I'm not worried at all," Victoria assured him. "Helene and I were just teasing you about that before."

"Good," Kai nodded. "Good." They got in the car and as Kai started it, he said to her, "How do you think your grandparents are doing with the twins?"

"Oh, I'm sure they're doing fine," Victoria replied. "They got through raising my mom and helping her with me. It shouldn't be a problem for them. Even Miss Molly."

But then she got a call from Margot. "Nothing wrong really," she assured her granddaughter. "But I think Molly's beginning to show her powers a little early. She tried to take your grandfather's sandwich and now he's trying to catch it while it's flying around the room. It's kind of funny, really."

Victoria heard this and chuckled to herself. "Would you like us to come home, or do you have everything under control?"

"I think we can handle it," Margot assured her. "Don't worry."

"All right," Victoria agreed. "If you're sure." She ended the call and Kai asked, "What happened? Is it good that we finished hunting when we did? I knew your parents would have trouble handling Molly!"

"Nothing is wrong," Victoria reassured him. "Molly is just starting to show signs of her powers is all."

"Now?" Kai asked, looking shocked. "But isn't it a little early? I thought we still had a month to prepare!"

"The majority of magical children show powers at six months," Victoria said. "But some, for whatever reason, show them before or after that. Molly is earlier than usual. But that's _good_! The sooner they show their powers, the sooner they can engage in inter-dimensional travel. We can go back to our nice, solitary home for vacations."

"That would be so nice," Kai said wistfully. "Don't get me wrong; I love getting to know your family and I bet it's nice for you to be able to talk to them on a daily basis, but…there was something so _cozy_ when it was just you and me. Don't you think?"

"Yeah," Victoria nodded. "Like I said, once they start showing their powers, they can travel to other dimensions just fine because the magic protects them, just like it does us. The only difference is that they're tinier."

"All right," Kai nodded. "I'll trust you with that."

* * *

Although she totally believed her grandmother when Margot said she and Kol could handle the twins, Victoria decided to take pity on her grandfather. She and Kai headed home without making any more stops and when they arrived, they still found Kol trying to catch his sandwich.

"You could help me, Margot," he suggested to his wife who was standing in a corner of the living room and laughing. "Can't you see how much I'm struggling here?"

"Oh, of course I see it," Margot replied with a wide grin. "But it's just so funny that I can't stop laughing!" She lapsed into giggles again and was laughing so hard that she had to leave the room. Kai soon joined her, but Victoria took pity on her grandfather, ordering him to pick a spot where the sandwich hovered and stand under it. Then she took her daughter and held her so that they were facing each other, thus breaking Molly's eye contact with the sandwich. The sandwich then dropped from where it was and Kol caught it, finally taking a well-deserved bite.

"Thank you," he told Victoria. "I can't say that I don't appreciate your efforts."

"Oh, no problem," Victoria told him. "Sorry that this little troublemaker was causing problems for you."

Molly burst into giggles then and Kol clung tight to his sandwich, holding it against his shirt. "I'm gonna go see Finn now," he said. "It'll be nice and calm where he is." He left to go bond with Finn and then Victoria gave her smiling daughter a serious look.

"Don't you know it's not nice to pick on your poor grandfather like that?" She asked. "I mean, it's one thing to do it with your father because he thinks it's hilarious, but Grandpa Kol doesn't think that way, so don't you go stealing his food anymore, Miss Molly."

Molly had looked suspiciously grown up before, but now she just smiled at her mother and drooled like a normal baby. Victoria sighed and went to get a cloth to wipe her mouth off with, and when she emerged from the kitchen, Margot and Kai were sitting beside each other on the sofa and looking sheepish.

Finally, Margot asked, "Is your grandfather all right? I should probably go apologize to him for being a lot less help than I should have been."

"Yeah, I think we'll give him a break next time we go out," Victoria said. "Maybe Mom and Dad could watch him then. Or even Grandma Gwen and Grandpa Mikael! Now that she has her powers, Molly could probably stand to be around someone that doesn't let themselves be messed with."

"I don't know about that," Kai said. "I'm afraid that if Gwen and Mikael watch our kids and they misbehave, we'll come home and find that we have one fewer child."

"They're not _that_ bad," Victoria assured him. "If King can get through his babyhood all right, Molly and Finn should do just fine. Especially since Grandma seems to like Finn a lot."

"All right," Kai replied. "If that's what you want, then I suppose I don't mind your other grandparents babysitting sometimes, if only to give Kol a break. I know I disliked him before, but now I feel kind of sorry for him."

But after Kol and Margot had gone, Kai gave Molly a big hug. "I have to thank you for torturing your grandfather like you did today," he told her. "Did you know that he's the reason Daddy is a vampire? He murdered me, Molly! You're a very good daughter to avenge me."

Molly gave a chuckle and then Kai brought her into the living room where Victoria was reading with Finn so Molly could hear the story too.

* * *

"What kept you?" Kai asked as Victoria finally came into the bedroom that night. She'd promised it would only take a little while to put the twins to bed, but it had taken some time. He blamed Molly.

"Finny was being difficult," Victoria replied, surprise evident in her voice that Kai shared. "I was about to leave when I realized I'd forgotten his goodnight kiss and he made me give him like five million of them before he'd let me leave."

"Well, let that be a lesson to you then," Kai replied with a playful wink. "He's acting more like me every day."

"Actually only on occasion," Victoria replied. "And that is a blessing cause between you acting like you and Molly acting like you, I don't have the energy to care for a third version of you in this house." She then leaned over to kiss him. "At least you're good help," she finished.

"Yeah," Kai nodded. "But just think what I would do if you forgot _my_ goodnight kiss…and goodnight other things."

Victoria smiled indulgently as she got into bed beside Kai and nuzzled his neck, her dark eyes sparkling. "Of course I wouldn't forget your goodnight other things. That wouldn't be fun for either of us."

Kai then pulled her to himself, kissing her neck and then hiking up the skirt of her nightgown to massage her inner thighs and help her wiggle out of her panties. Then she threw her arms around his neck and let him lower her onto the mattress, his warm hands roaming over her body as her breathing picked up. Then her legs parted as he slipped inside her, his fingers threading through her soft dark hair.


	31. The Truth About Finn

"Thanks so much for agreeing to see me at my house," Adrian told Kai. "Victoria called Helene about Molly, probably because Helene told her about my… _issues_ regarding magic."

"What made you like that in the first place?" Kai asked curiously. "You married a witch, yet you have a fear of magic. My _god_ , Adrian!"

"I am _not_ afraid of magic!" Adrian yelled, looking very affronted. "Well, at least not really. I just…I don't like the beginning phase where you have no idea what they're gonna do at any giving moment. I was changing my second daughter's diaper once and she turned into a giant spider! Has that ever happened to you?"

"Well, no," Kai shook his head. "The only person who's had bad luck with Molly's powers is Kol." He chuckled, thinking about it again. "And lucky for us, it'll take some time for Finn to get his powers. I'd hate the idea of having Victoria dealing with two babies' powers by herself."

"I would too," Adrian agreed. "It's completely hellish. But then again, she's a witch too, so she can handle it, even if it's hard."

"Even so," Kai replied firmly. "I'm going to talk to Helene or Astrid or _somebody_ and see if it's possible for me to get my powers back too. I know that it will make people balk because of the bad ways I've used them in the past, but I _did_ lose them by being murdered. And I want them for a good cause: to help Victoria. That's a good thing, right? Would you be convinced if you were your mother-in-law, Adrian?"

"No," Adrian smiled as Kai's jaw dropped. "I know you too well to give you that sort of power. But lucky for you, Astrid has a much softer and more giving heart than I do, so you'll probably get them back when you ask for them."

"It's a good thing that Astrid's in charge of things and not you," Kai told him. "Cause it would be a shame if that were the case and I had to tell Vicky that the only reason why she wasn't getting the help she needed with the kids is because you're an ass."

"Call me what you want, but I'm sticking by my say," Adrian shrugged. "Don't worry. I still like you, though."

"I think you do," Kai nodded. "I wasn't worried about that at all, frankly. You wanna go get something to eat?"

"Yes," Adrian nodded. "Yes, I do."

* * *

"Molly has her powers now?" Astrid asked Victoria a few days later. She'd heard it from Helene and was very surprised. "I honestly thought it would take her some time just like it'll take Finn."

"I know, that's what I thought too," Victoria nodded and poured Astrid some more tea. "But I'm not worried. The sooner both kids get their power, the sooner Kai and I can take him back to the other dimension."

"You want to go back to a place where Kai took you when he kidnapped you?" Astrid asked, eyebrows raised.

"I know it sounds weird, but I really enjoyed it after a while. It was so private and nice…" Victoria sighed. Then she looked over at Astrid. "Can…can Kai get his powers back? Or it is even possible since he was killed?"

"Powers never truly go away if a witch gives birth to healthy children," Astrid told her. "You can always get your powers back. You just have to know how to do it. The idea that they disappear was spread by people who didn't know any better." She sighed. "If you want, I suppose that can be the second part of your reward for what happened with Edele. Or Kai's half of it anyway. He occupied her time and he suffered, not to mention being unfairly murdered. I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you," Victoria told her. "I really appreciate it. Cause I don't know how good I would be at handling two babies' powers on my own." She paused. "Just one more question, and you can be honest with me: how do you think Finny's powers will be? Will he be as powerful as Molly?"

Astrid was silent for a while, which led to a sinking feeling in Victoria's stomach. To cover up her nervousness, she put a little too much sugar in her tea, and then spit it out when she put the cup to her lips.

"Are you okay?" Astrid asked, pushing a strand of blonde hair out of her eyes and whacking Victoria on the back.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Victoria replied, taking a breath. "Now, about my son and his powers: answer me, please. You know I can handle it."

"Well, the best case scenario is that Finn's powers, in their entirety, will come, they'll just come late," Astrid answered. "That's what we all want, I know."

"What's the worst-case scenario?" Victoria pressed.

"The worst case scenario could be that Finn's powers are greatly diminished," Astrid said. "He might just be able to do things human magicians can do. But much better, of course, cause he'll have real magic."

"Well, that's fine, isn't it?" Victoria replied. "There's more to life than having powers. And he's still a vampire."

"I'm not saying that Finn not having powers is something to be ashamed of," Astrid said quickly. "I'm just saying that if that's the case, you'll really have to support him because his classmates in school will probably tease him. And his teachers too."

"His teachers?" Victoria asked. "Really?"

"If you send him to normal magic school," Astrid nodded. "I remember that I went through a period of bullying myself for having a human father. It was a kid with not so much magic that got the bullies away from me. I would have stayed in the poor boy's place, any day."

"Boy?" Victoria raised an eyebrow. "Is it usually boys who tend to lose their powers more than girls?"

"Yes, actually," Astrid nodded. "It's _very_ rare for witches to lose their powers in the womb to the point where they're either gone or of little use. Why do you think we're a species run by women?"

"Wow," Victoria gasped. "I never thought of it that way."

"Well, now you know," Astrid smiled. "I was a nurse for several years before I got into politics. You learn things about us in that profession."

"So I should prepare for Finny to have little use for his powers and tell Kai to do the same?" Victoria asked. "And if he doesn't have as much power as his sister, can we still take him to our house in Kai's dimension of solitude?"

"I would tell Kai, just to be sure," Astrid replied. "I mean, I know you'll both love him however he turns out, but it doesn't hurt to be ready for the worst. If nothing happens by the time he's a year old, I think it's safe to say that he's going to be more dependent on his vampire side. Usually, babies have such grand shows of magic because when it manifests, it's way too much for their little bodies to handle so it all explodes out of them in unexpected ways, and if Finn has little or no magic, it wouldn't manifest itself that way. As for Finn doing inter-dimensional travel, it _is_ possible, but you'll need to get the spell from a doctor once you're positive that his magic levels are low, then you should be all right." She reached out and touched Victoria's arm. "It'll be fine. Don't worry."

"I think it will make my grandfather happy if Finny doesn't have a lot of magic because I think both he and my Grandma Gwen are pushing to take Finn under their wings and mold him into some great and powerful being. If he's a vampire and Grandpa Kol has no competition for him due to him having little or no powers to build on, he'll be happy." Victoria smiled weakly. "I guess that's a bright side of all this."

"Yeah," Astrid nodded. "Knowing your family as I do by now, I bet Kol _will_ be very happy if he can have Finn all to himself."

* * *

Although Victoria knew that Astrid was right that whatever happened with Finn and his powers, she would love him no matter what, she still felt (very irrationally, she knew) that what had happened to Finn was her fault. That he was gonna be doomed to be mocked by his classmates forever cause of something _she'd_ done wrong.

That night, she dropped the twins off with her parents, ignored her father's insistent offer that she stay the night too cause she was clearly distressed, and then drove home, telling herself that she just had to wait until she got through the front door and then she could cry as much as she wanted. But when she got home and tried to make the tears come, they wouldn't. She turned away from the door and started when she saw Kai standing across from her. "Did you get the twins dropped off all right?" he asked.

"Yes," Victoria nodded, descending the two stairs and then ending up in Kai's arms, her face buried in his shoulder. "Astrid said that she'd work on seeing what she could do to get your powers back. And…and she also said that based on what happened with Finny, he might not have powers at all. Or very little power, stuck doing nothing but stupid human magician tricks." She sighed. "This is all my fault. Let's go to the playroom and you can beat the shit out of me. That'll make me feel better." She started striding in the direction of the playroom, but Kai grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"We won't do that," he said. "I refuse. That room is supposed to be for _fun_ punishment, not actual, painful punishment." He then picked her up and took her to their room where he undressed himself and then her before tying her to the bed so she couldn't run away (cause he could totally tell that she still wanted to.)

He then stared down at her, his bright eyes locked on her wide ones. "This isn't your fault," he told her firmly as he ran his hands over her body. "I know you want to blame yourself, but you _can't._ You didn't do anything wrong. You did the best you could." He put both hands on either side of her face, leaned down a little closer to her and said firmly, "Okay?"

"Okay," Victoria replied, giving him a little smile. "Will you shut up and kiss me now? Please?"

"All right," Kai chuckled and then leaned down to kiss her as she threw her arms around him and wrapped her legs around his waist just as he slipped inside her.

Afterward, when she and Kai lay beside each other, he asked her, "Do you feel better?"

"A little bit," Victoria nodded. "I might need a few more rounds of that, though." She turned to face him. "Are you up for it?"

"Yes," Kai smiled and grabbed her again. "Yes, I am. By the time I'm done with you, you won't be able to move a muscle."

"Good," Victoria said. "Cause at this point, I really don't want to, at least for a little while."


	32. A Risky Form Of Justice

Just as Astrid had warned, Finn didn't get his powers at six months just like most other kids, and even a few months later, Kai and Victoria had yet to be awakened by a big show of magic from him (although there were multiple nights where they woke up because Molly had turned into something and scared poor Finn out of his mind.)

"I guess we need to separate them," Victoria sighed as she moved Molly back to her room early one morning. She'd gotten it in her mind to try and get the twins to bond by putting them in the same room, but it obviously did no good. "I really thought that putting them together would help them get along. Or at least used to each other. I meant well."

"I know," Kai nodded as he tried to calm his screeching son down. "But now we know not to repeat this."

It was as Finn yelled in his father's arms that the lights began going on and off. "What's that?" Victoria asked Kai as she came back into the room. "I know it's not Molly cause I just moved her. Do you suppose…?" They looked down at Finn, and after Victoria plopped his binky in his mouth and settled him down in bed, the lights went back to being off like they'd been before.

"Well, now we know he _has_ magic at least," Victoria got out. "That's…that's good. And he _did_ learn to crawl before Molly. That's something too." She then headed toward the bedroom door, and when she had her hand on the handle, she turned to give her husband a look. "You coming?" She asked

"Yes, I'm coming," Kai nodded, still clutching Finn protectively as a wicked thought entered his mind. "I'll be there in a minute. Don't worry."

Then, when Victoria had gone, Kai sat his son down in the rocking chair to reveal his plan. "What happened to you wasn't fair," he told Finn. "You should have just as much magic as your sister and I think it's complete bullshit that you don't. Now, don't you go thinking that I don't love you as you are, because I do, but…I just think you deserve better than this. And I'm going to make it happen for you. I'll find a way to do it and soon you'll be just as powerful as anyone else. Even if it's with someone else's magic. But really, so many people misuse theirs. Waste it. You deserve it much more than they do, anyway." He then gave Finn a gentle kiss on the head, put him to bed, and then went to meet Victoria, careful not to let on what he was doing because he figured that if she knew, she'd probably stop and he _really_ couldn't afford that now.

* * *

A few days later, Astrid called him and told him to come down to the Council building cause she needed to talk to him.

"This better not be a trick to haul me back to jail," he said. "I haven't done anything wrong. I'm a fine, upstanding citizen now."

"I know you're trying," Astrid agreed. "And I promise it's not a trick. I've finally worked out how to give you your powers back. Unless you don't want them anymore, that is."

"Oh, no, I still want them," Kai assured her. "I have a couple not threatening and totally legal things I want to use them for."

"You mean like helping your wife with your children now that Molly's starting to show her powers?"

"Exactly!" Kai replied without missing a beat. "And you made really good time, too. Finn just showed some of his this morning too. Granted, it wasn't a grand show like most babies do, but it was something."

"Oh, good!" Astrid cried, relief evident in her voice. "I was going to call Victoria and ask how Finn was coming along. It's wonderful to know he's got even a little bit of magic after what he went through."

"Yeah," Kai replied and heaved a big sigh. "It really is. So…when would be a good time for me to come and get my powers back?"

"Well, are you home alone?" Astrid asked. "I mean, I'm sure you're eager to get them now, but I don't want to leave your children without a caretaker."

"No, it's fine for me to come now," Kai assured her. "Victoria is here to watch the kids. And it won't take very long, will it?"

"It shouldn't, no," Astrid assured him. "See you in a bit." She ended the call, and then Kai went to find Victoria and tell her where he was going.

"You're gonna behave yourself once you have your powers, right, Malachai?" Victoria asked, looking at him suspiciously. "You're not gonna run through the building cursing everyone you see just because you can?"

"Of course not, Vicky," Kai assured her, trying to look as innocent as possible. "The only reason why I want my powers back is so I'm better able to help you with the twins. That's all."

"I don't know if I believe that, but I guess I'll accept it," Victoria replied, shifting Molly in her arms so they didn't ache so much and trying to distract her so she didn't cry for hours unabated when she realized her father was gone and she was stuck with her mother, and thanking her lucky stars that both the twins weren't so temperamental.

* * *

Astrid hadn't lied when she'd told him that it wouldn't take him too long to get his powers back. It had been a bit more complicated than the usual procedure because of his being a vampire, but Astrid made it work and had him swear not to go around blabbing about what she'd done. "Cause then _every_ witch or warlock who became a vampire would want it and things just don't work that way. Do you understand, Kai?"

"Of course, Astrid," he assured her easily. "Why would I go around blabbing about the thing that makes me unique so that a bunch of other people can become the same way?"

"Well, good," Astrid said with a firm nod. "You can be on your way now. I have a meeting to go to."

"All right," Kai nodded. "Good luck with that." He headed out of her office, whistling and keeping his hands in the pockets of his dark jeans to help him resist the urge to curse everyone who crossed his path just because he could, _especially_ James.

"What are you doing here?" James asked him when they bumped into each other as he was coming in and Kai was preparing to go out. "Have a new crime to confess?"

"No, actually," Kai replied, his hand balling into a fist in his pocket. "I came here at Astrid's request so she could give me my powers back."

James' jaw dropped. "She did _what?_ Has that woman lost her _mind_? Sometimes I think she's much too soft, just undoing punishments for anyone who gives her a big-eyed look and promises to reform. I'm going to protest this."

"You can't," Kai smirked. "She's in a meeting now. And even all the nagging in the world won't make her change her mind."

James gave him a sour look, his blue eyes narrowed, and Kai chuckled to himself as he headed out of the council building and back to his car. He was proud of himself for keeping his promise to Victoria and not cursing anyone. He needed to have all the good will from her that he could get because he had a feeling that she wouldn't approve of his bigger plan for Finn, no matter how well-intentioned it was.

* * *

The rest of the day continued as normal: Kai played with the twins, put them down for their naps, all that stuff. Then, after everyone except him had gone to bed, Kai zapped himself back to the council building and waited.

After escaping so many times, he knew there was a particular part of the building where escapees ended up when they took the quickest route out. This was where he stood, and it didn't take long for him to get what he wanted. A pair of men sneaked out and dropped to the ground with a thud. Kai then sped over and, raising his hand, lifted them both into the air and slammed them hard enough against the side of the brick building to knock them out cold and then zapped them to the basement of his and Victoria's house where he restrained them and sedated them with a potion, and then hurried back up to bed before Victoria woke up and could question where he'd been or what he'd been doing. When she was gone running errands tomorrow, he would take Finn down to the basement and give him the powers he deserved.

* * *

The next morning, Kai brought Finn to the front door with him and held his little arm up so he could wave goodbye to Victoria (who'd decided to take Molly to her parents' to give Finn and Kai more time to bond) and then, when it was clear that they were gone, he slammed the door closed with his free hand and then said to Finn, "We're gonna take a trip down to the basement now, all right? And it's a secret trip that your mother absolutely can't know about cause it would get Daddy in trouble so it's a good thing you can't talk to tell her about it."

He sat Finn on sofa and the little boy watched as his father drained one of the men of his power, leaving the other one for feeding purposes just because. Then, his hands glowing, Kai approached his son, lay him back on his back on the sofa, put his hand on his tummy, and soon, his little body was surrounded by light. But he didn't cry like Kai feared he would. Instead, when the light had cleared, Finn was giggling. "Aw, see?" He smiled at his son. "I knew that would make you happy." Then, taking things even further, he even fed Finn some blood, though he and Victoria had not specifically agreed that the babies were ready for that yet. He then took Finn upstairs and played with him for a little bit before calling Victoria and telling her that Astrid had been wrong and that their son, in spite of everything that had happened to him, was just as powerful as his sister, but it had just taken a little more time.

"It _did?_ " Victoria asked in amazement. "Just a minute. I'm coming home right now so I can see for myself!"

"He might not be able to perform on command, you know," Kai told her. "Remember that."

"Oh, I will," Victoria told him. "I'm just so happy! Not that I wouldn't have been okay with him being how he was, but…but this seems so much more _just_ , if you know what I mean."

"I do," Kai agreed. "And believe me, I'm just as happy about what happened as you are." He then hung up, took Finn in his lap, and waited for Victoria to come home so they could show her what a good place Finn was in now.


	33. Victoria's Choice

"That was _such_ a good surprise we had with Finny," Victoria told Kai. "I just…I really wasn't expecting it, but I'm so glad. Not because I wouldn't have accepted him the other way, of course, but it would have been so painful to watch the other witches and warlocks tease him at school if he had less power."

"Of course he would have still had his very strong vampire powers," Kai pointed out. "But they're really not much against a bunch of determined people who have magic."

"Or one very determined twin sister who has magic," Victoria added.

"Yep," Kai nodded. "That too." He then burst into laughter as Finn (who was next to Molly on a blanket on the floor while their parents watched them from the sofa) put his hand on his sister and turned her into a baby goat.

"What in the world?" Victoria asked, standing up. "Finny, what did you do?" She turned Molly back while both Kai and Finn laughed themselves sick.

"Oh, give him a break," Kai said when he could breathe. "She's frightened him enough. Now it's his turn."

"No one should have turns to scare each other out of their minds," Victoria told him firmly. "It's wrong when Miss Molly does it, and it's also wrong when Finny does it."

"You know, you really _are_ a wet blanket," he told her. "I think I'll go take Finny somewhere where people will appreciate what he can do."

"Fine, go," Victoria agreed. "Take him and I'll stay here with Molly."

"All right," Kai said. "Just don't kill her, okay?"

"I won't," Victoria assured him. "Don't you worry."

* * *

Kai then headed over to Adrian and Helene's, and stayed despite the fact that Klaus and Amy were also visiting. He was about to take Finn outside on the deck where Adrian was when Finn suddenly disappeared.

"What in the world was that?" Helene cried as both she and Amy stood up. "With as little power as Finn has, he shouldn't be able to do something like that."

"Oh, didn't you hear?" Kai asked. "Finn has _all_ his power now. It just took a little longer."

"How wonderful for you," Amy smiled. "I bet Victoria is very pleased about that."

"Yeah, and I think I'll ask Victoria about starting the twins on blood," Kai added. "Victoria has said that her parents started _her_ early and it didn't do her any harm, so why shouldn't we do it the same with our children?" Then he gave his wrist an absent-minded flick and Finn appeared in his arms again, just as Adrian came inside.

"Finn has powers now?" He asked, eyebrow up. "Lots and _lots_ of powers?"

"Yeah," Kai nodded. "And what's the matter with you? Are you scared?"

"We've been over this!" Adrian told him. "I'm not scared. I'm just a little…nervous."

"Well, get over it!" Kai ordered as Finn caught sight of Adrian and held out his arms. "You wouldn't want to deprive Finn of time with his favorite uncle in the whole world, would you?"

Adrian then came over and studied Finn closely, sighing and taking him in his arms. "Oh, all right," he said. "Better him than that Molly. She _bites_!"

"So do you and no one penalizes you for it," Helene pointed out as Amy chuckled.

"I like Molly," she said. "I think she's sweet. Are she and Victoria at your house now?"

"Yes," Kai nodded. "And if you want to go over there, please do. I'm a little nervous about what will happen if Victoria and Molly are alone together for too long. I have this nagging feeling that one will kill the other." He paused and then changed his mind, realizing what would happen if Helene saw the basement or Victoria blabbed to her about what he'd done. "Or maybe you could invite Victoria and Molly over to your house, Amy."

"That would be nice," Amy agreed. "We could go on another hunt!" She and Helene left then and Klaus stared suspiciously at Kai. "Why did you suddenly want everyone to go over to _our_ house?" He asked. "Are you up to something at yours that you don't want Helene to see because you're afraid she'll tell Astrid and whatever fiction you've made up to get yourself powers and a life out of jail will be destroyed, leaving Astrid to never trust you again?"

"No," Kai shook his head, trying to keep his poker face steady. "Not really."

* * *

But Klaus, of course, didn't believe him. In fact, he headed straight over to Alistair and Astrid's to tell Alistair of his suspicions.

"I know he's up to something," Klaus told his friend. "I just don't know what!"

"I have to agree with you," Alistair nodded. "Being with you all the time that I've been has really given me insight and helped me recognize a dark soul when I see it, and Kai is _definitely_ a dark soul. I can tell there are times when he really wants to change and bless Astrid for wanting to give him that chance, but…I really feel he's pulled the wool over her eyes, and I don't think I like that. Astrid's worked so hard to get where she is and to make our world a better place. I won't stand for her to be made fool by some two bit criminal."

"So you'll help me bring him down?" Klaus asked. "Cause I could really use it."

"Of course I will, but we have to be careful," Alistair told him. "We can't just go barreling in. We need to make a plan."

"Well, you're always better with plans than I am," Klaus acknowledged. "So…where do we start?"

* * *

"What would you say if I suggested we start giving the kids blood?" Kai asked Victoria that night. "Do you think it's too early?"

"I don't think so," Victoria shrugged. "Since my parents started me on it early, I don't see what harm that would do the twins. And speaking of, I'm going downstairs to get a blood bag for myself. Do you want one too?"

"No!" Kai yelled, standing up quickly, his eyes wide. Then, he took a deep breath as Victoria stared at him. "I mean, no. You don't have to do it. I can. In fact, why don't I take Finny down with me?"

"All right," Victoria nodded. "Whatever."

Kai then grabbed Finn and headed down to the basement with him. They fed on the sedated criminals, but just as they finished, one regained his consciousness and began moaning. Kai quickly hit him over the head to knock him out again, but even so, Victoria heard.

"Kai?" She called. "What was that noise?"

"Nothing!" Kai replied quickly. "Just the house settling. I don't know what else it could be."

"Are you _sure_?" Victoria asked. "Why don't I come down there and see?"

"No, no thank you!" Kai called back. "You just go about your business and try and forget what you just heard, cause it's really nothing."

But of course Victoria didn't listen and by the time Kai and Finn were at the basement door, Victoria had sped down to meet them.

"How about you let me see what's down here?" Victoria asked, her voice impatient. "Either you let me in here so I can see what you've done or I elbow my way in here and I'll be even _more_ pissed off at you afterward. It's your choice."

A smiled curved Kai's lips, his whole demeanor about Victoria discovering his deception changed. "Do you _really_ think that will frighten me, Vicky? If the man who's the most frightening figure in magical history doesn't scare me, you certainly don't. And you're definitely _not_ Mr. Black."

"Give me Finny," Victoria snapped, snatching their son out of Kai's arms as Finn screeched in protest at being ripped away from his father. "And go and watch Molly while I deal with this."

Kai just clicked his tongue. "You really don't get how to handle me anymore, do you?" He asked her. "All the scolding in the world won't make me feel shame. Being raised by my mother like I was, I'm really immune to it." But he went up to watch Molly anyway, waiting to see the look on Victoria's face when she saw what he was hiding in the basement.

And he wasn't disappointed. A few minutes later, she came stomping up the stairs, a deep frown etched in her face. "And would you care to tell me why you have two men tied up and hurt in our basement?"

"I have them down there to take blood from," Kai told her calmly. "There's nothing wrong with that, is there? I thought you had nothing against taking blood from people as long as it was for feeding."

"You're right, I don't," Victoria agreed and sat down next to him. "But since it's you, and not a typical vampire, I can't help but be skeptical that that's all there is to the story. You wanna tell me the rest of it?"

"No," Kai shook his head. "Not really." And with that, he stayed stubbornly silent and it was only a report on the magical news network's night broadcast that gave him away. It talked about two convicts disappearing from the council prison and when Victoria saw their pictures, there was no doubt in her mind that the men who had disappeared and the men who were tied up in her basement were one and the same. After the broadcast ended, Victoria left the bedroom and strode to the kitchen, snatching Kai's turkey sandwich away and slowly eating it herself.

"Hey, if you want me to make you a sandwich, all you have to do is ask," he told her, his bottom lip jutting out a little as he reached for the sandwich and she held it out of his grip. "You don't need to storm in here and get so grabby."

"Were you _ever_ going to mention to me that the two men in the basement are convicts escaped from the council jail?" Victoria asked.

"I don't see why that's a problem," Kai shrugged. "They're bad people. It's not like I'm robbing _good_ people of their lives. And I don't know why you're making such a fuss about this."

"Because kidnapping is _bad,_ Malachai!" Victoria cried irritably. "Don't you remember that?" She paused. "And that's how Finny suddenly got all that power, isn't it? He didn't come by it naturally! You _stole_ it from one of those criminals and then gave it to our son!"

"Yes, I did," Kai admitted easily. "But I _still_ don't see the problem."

Victoria shut her eyes. "Of course you don't. You probably don't even remember that all the time you were put in jail yourself was because you stole magic."

"Oh, of course I remember that," Kai assured her. "But I always thought it was a bullshit charge. And it still is now. I'm not sorry about what I did. But let me guess: you're gonna make me give the magic back because what I did is _wrong._ " He said the last word in a mocking voice and then waited, genuinely curious to see how Victoria would respond, cause he was sure that she would be torn about this. On the one hand, he _had_ done something wrong, stealing magic. But he'd done it for a good cause and she would be damned if she would deprive her son of normal magical development milestones cause he'd been drained of his magic through no fault of his own.

And he was right. Victoria's righteous anger had helped her along up until Kai had brought up giving the magic back. That had made her stop short. She sputtered and spat while he gave her a knowing look. Finally, she crammed the rest of Kai's sandwich in her mouth and stormed off leaving Kai to believe that he'd won the battle. At least for the moment.


	34. Stepping Away For A Bit

"I _knew_ you wouldn't tell on me for giving Finn that guy's magic," Kai told Victoria. "I could sense it."

"Don't get too excited," Victoria told him. "I did it for Finny's sake, not for yours. If he wasn't tied up in this, I would have sold you out in a second."

"But think about this," Kai countered. "If Finn wasn't involved, I wouldn't have done it at all. I have my own powers now and no one judging me about not being powerful enough, so why would I need to take more?"

"Because you're a nut and that's what nuts do. Thank you for reminding me how crazy you really are," Victoria told him. "You almost had me fooled."

"Here it comes again," Kai sighed. "The judgment. How often am I gonna have to hear about this? It's not gonna change my behavior, you know. In fact, it will probably make me act _worse_."

"You're right," Victoria nodded. "I don't need to say a thing. It's not my place. You live your life and I'll live mine without butting in."

"That's right," Kai nodded. "Good thinking." He paused. "That means you're leaving, right?"

"For some time, yes," Victoria nodded. "I think I need to seriously re-evaluate the situation that I put myself and my children in."

"Well, fine," Kai spat. "If you can't accept me for how I am and want some super moral altar boy instead, maybe it's best that you leave. I can do fine without you. It doesn't matter to me." He was breathing hard and although he was trying to _sound_ like none of it mattered to him, Victoria could tell from his eyes that he cared a lot more than he was letting on.

"All right," She told him. "I think we've made the right choice, at least for now. I'm going to take the kids and go away somewhere."

"You're going to take the kids?" Kai cried. " _Both_ of them? Who said you could do that? I don't agree at all."

"I just think it's safer," Victoria told him. "And you should want what's best for them since you're their father."

"I do," Kai nodded. "But I have to ask what makes you think that your relatives are a better influence on the kids than I am? At least let me keep Finny. Please?"

"I don't know if it's a good idea to separate the kids," Victoria told him. "Otherwise I would be more than happy to oblige."

"Why is it wrong to separate them?" Kai asked. "They're not particularly attached to one another, and it's not like we'll be staying apart forever… _right?_ "

"We'll see," Victoria told him. "We'll see." Then she paused and said, "Fine. If you want to keep Finny, I won't stop you. Just make sure you look out for him, all right?"

"I will," Kai told her earnestly. "I promise."

"All right," Victoria told him firmly. She really believed him because even though he'd done something highly illegal, he'd done it for Finn's benefit and it was something that would help their son along later in life. "I'll take Molly and then we'll be on our way."

"I suppose…I suppose you calling me and telling me that you got wherever you're going safely is out of the question?" Kai asked.

"No, I'll call you and let you know if it means that much to you," Victoria assured him. "Don't worry about that."

* * *

"Victoria?" Margot asked as she opened the door to a knock late at night. "Are you all right? What's the matter?"

Before Victoria could even open her mouth to answer, she heard a _whoosh!_ Her grandfather was now standing in front of her and taking her suitcase from her hand while Margot took Molly. "So you finally left him? It's about time! I know it was hard for you, but in the end, you really did the best thing. You can stay here as long as you want."

"Kol!" Margot chided. "Don't make assumptions! Her visit could be about something else completely!"

"Actually it's not," Victoria replied with a big sigh. "The two men who were kidnapped from the council jail? Kai did it. And he took the powers of one of them to give to Finny. I understand why he did it, but…it's a bit much for me to deal with at the moment. Can I stay here for a couple of days until I figure out what to do with myself? Kai's less likely to call here than he is Mom and Dad's."

"Sure, stay as long as you want!" Kol said again, and gave her a hug. "And I'll make sure that awful boy doesn't hurt you anymore, darling."

"But that's just the thing," Victoria told him. "Kai's not really hurting me. I just am dealing with some shock here. I'll probably end up going back to him in a couple of days."

"What has he done to you to make you think this way?" Kol asked. "I have half a mind to get my bat and-"

"Kol just don't," Margot said firmly. "This isn't really our affair and if Victoria wants to go back to Kai at some point, that's her own choice, not yours."

"Oh, all right!" Kol snapped at his wife. "You can't just let me bask in my illusions, can you?"

"No, I can't," Margot shook her head. "Sorry."

"No, you're not," Kol shook his head, eyes narrowed. "With stuff like that, you're _never_ sorry."

"I think that since you're being so crabby, you need to go back to bed," Margot told him. "I'll handle things with Victoria in the meantime."

"Fine," Kol scoffed. "Whatever."

He strode away and then Margot turned to Victoria. "Let's get you to your room so you can get some sleep."

"Thanks," Victoria said gratefully. "I really appreciate that. It's been a _long_ day." She paused and then said, "Can I use your phone?"

"Of course," Margot nodded. "I'll go get Molly settled in across the hall from Kol and me and then you can take one of the rooms next to that."

"All right," Victoria nodded. "Thanks so much, Grandma."

"You're welcome," Margot replied.

Victoria then went to call Kai, waiting for some time before he picked up. "I'm sorry," she apologized after hearing his drowsy voice. "Did I wake you? I'm just calling to say that I got here safely, just like I promised I would."

"Thank you," Kai replied, sounding much more awake. "I honestly didn't expect you to call back."

"Well, I may be annoyed by what you did, but that's no reason to be rude," Victoria told him. "I'll let you get back to sleep now. Goodnight, Kai."

"Goodnight, Vicky," Kai replied back. "And I had no trouble getting Finn to sleep."

"Good, good," Victoria told him. "I hope Grandma's luck with Molly is just as good." She ended the call then and headed up to bed. It took her much longer than she expected to fall asleep, however, because she wasn't good at sleeping alone.

* * *

"Okay, tell me again," Astrid said to Alistair.

"Kai was the one who kidnapped the men that tried to escape from the council jail," Alistair told her patiently. "Now they're tied up in his basement and he's stolen the powers of one to give to his son."

"And that's _bad_ , right?" Klaus asked. "We can bring him in and throw him away for good, _right?_ Don't be a softie, Astrid! You know what you have to do!"

"Yes, I _do_ know what I have to do!" Astrid shouted at Klaus before turning him into a frog and telling Alistair to grab him. Then she said more calmly, "I know, in a way, what I have to do. I know Kai broke the law and should be punished. But really, we've tried everything with him and he hasn't learned a thing, has he? I think he makes a bigger fool out of me when I try to put him away than he's doing now. I know you'll probably think I'm crazy, Alistair, but I think the best thing to do is to treat Kai like I treat Klaus: not to put him away, but give him someone who can keep him under control. Cause Victoria _does_ have an attachment to him and vice versa. How she chooses to handle what he's done will probably encourage him not to repeat it more than anything I could do."

"And what about the magic?" Alistair asked. "Are we going to be giving it back to the man it belongs to?"

"We can't," Astrid shook her head. "At least not now. Removing magic from someone as small as Finn could cause him harm, and he's already been through so much. We can wait until he's a little older. It won't agree with him anyway and when the results of that pop up, he'll probably be begging to return the magic that his father gave him." She paused. "Are you disappointed in me for the decisions I've made, Alistair?"

"No," Alistair assured her. "You do what you feel is right. I just don't like people making a fool of you when you work so hard to make sure that everything is as safe and just as possible."

"Thank you," Astrid smiled at him. "You're so sweet!" She then looked down at Klaus the frog. "Do you think I should turn him back now?"

"Let's take him home to Amy first," Alistair said.

So they took him home to Amy and after he was turned back, he stomped off to his room, having heard that Kai would once again escape real punishment for committing a crime that would make anyone else be run through the ringer.

"What's the problem with that?" He asked Amy irritably later that night. "Why can't Astrid just see that when a man does wrong, he should be punished?"

"Cause punishment doesn't always fix bad behavior," Amy reminded him. "Especially if the person being subjected to the punishment has already been punished so much that it doesn't have any effect on them. Then, all you can do is try and show them a little compassion and hope that that'll do them some good and make them change their ways. It's worked reasonably well for you, hasn't it?" She asked, leaning forward to kiss him. "Why wouldn't it work for Kai?"

"If you're trying to tell me that Kai and I have things in common, you're wrong," Klaus told her.

"No, I'm not," Amy shook his head. "But you just keep thinking that if it makes you feel better."


	35. The Good Uncle

"Aren't you glad that you came home where you belong?" Kai asked Victoria. "I think you made the right decision."

"Well, I'm still a little put off with your methods, but I can't really blame you for doing what you did without seeming like a giant hypocrite," Victoria replied. "So let's just not mention it again, all right?"

"Okay," Kai nodded. "I won't." He then went to stare out the window, a frown deep on his face.

"What's the matter?" Victoria asked.

"Nothing," Kai replied. "Just our idiot neighbor coming down the street with his stupid dog. Someone should tell him that it's not considerate to just let your dog bark and bark and bark at four a.m. when people are trying to sleep. I think I'll be that person."

He rolled up his sleeves and headed for the door, stopping when Victoria called his name. "What now?" he asked impatiently.

"When you kill the dog, just make sure his owner can't see you, all right?" Victoria requested.

"All right," Kai replied. "I suppose that's a good compromise." He then headed out the door and saw his neighbor reach the house and grab his key as the dog stood in the driveway. "Can we talk?" He called as he made his way toward the man's house.

"Sure," his neighbor, a heavyset man with thick salt and pepper hair and glasses said. "But you'll have to come inside with me. I think Ginger's been out enough today." He then grabbed the dog, a little cocker spaniel, and took her inside while Kai followed, feeling very relieved. It would be much easier to kill them inside rather than out in the drive where anyone could see them.

They got inside and his neighbor offered him a beer, which he accepted while they talked about the look of his lawn and garden, and then Kai said, "Can I ask where you got your dog? I was thinking of getting one for my children."

"No problem," the man replied and stood up. "I'll go get you the flyer for the kennel where I purchased her." Once he was gone, Kai quickly wrung the dog's neck and shoved the corpse under the sofa, just in time for the man to return.

When he came back with the flyer, Kai took it and thanked him, then the man asked, "Where'd Ginger go?"

"Oh, I don't know," Kai shrugged. "She just scampered off somewhere I guess." He then got up to use the bathroom, and while in there, decided that just for good measure, he'd kill the man too.

He came out of the bathroom a pipe in hand that he'd zapped up, and beat the man to death, making his corpse disappear so his relatives would never find it. Then, as he was about to leave, he had second thoughts about the dog. He pulled the corpse out from under the sofa and brought it back to life, putting a silencing spell on it to control the barking and then taking it home.

"What in the world?" Victoria asked when she saw it. "I thought you were gonna kill the _dog_! Not that I'm upset you didn't, but…why the change of heart?"

"Cause I always wanted a puppy," Kai remarked. "Mom would never let me have one because she said they were too violent and destructive. Do you mind that we have a puppy? Please, can we? Oh, and I killed the owner instead so he won't come looking for the dog. And don't worry, I made the corpse disappear."

Victoria heard this last remark and scoffed. "Well, I suppose that as long as you made the corpse disappear, it's all right with me that we have a dog."

She smiled. "You say you got the dog for the twins, but I really think you got her for you. Do you know what her name is?"

"I think it's Ginger." Kai looked at her collar. "Yeah, Ginger. See?"

Victoria then zapped up the proper paperwork and then went to get Molly and Finn so they could meet their new friend. Molly was immediately fond of the dog, smiling and giggling and touching it. Finn was a bit more cautious, but when he finally reached out to pet the dog too, Molly let out a horrible screech and seemed to shield the dog from her brother's view.

"Molly, you have to share the dog," Kai told her patiently. "It's for _both_ of you."

"No!" Molly shook her head. "Mine!" It didn't help that the dog seemed to like Molly too while not exactly warming up to Finn, and finally, both Kai and Victoria gave up trying to make the twins share the dog and just let her hang out with Molly next to her crib because that's what she seemed to prefer over anything else.

* * *

A few days later, Kai came in with the mail and sat down next to Victoria looking stunned.

"What is it?" Victoria asked. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's fine," Kai replied. "I just…I got a letter from my uncle. He says that now that I'm finally out of jail and seem to have my life together, he wants to come and visit me. Well, that and the fact that my mother is dead probably helped encourage him too."

"I didn't know you had an uncle!" Victoria cried. "I knew you had an aunt, but not an uncle."

"I didn't see much of him growing up," Kai told her. "He was my mom's stepbrother. I was named after him, the namesake of the man she hated with her life. But don't worry. He's a good guy. I think you'll like him."

"Well, does he like you and hate your mother?" Victoria asked.

"Yeah," Kai nodded. "Pretty much."

"Then I'm very sure I'll like him," Victoria decided. "The question is, do you think he'll like _me_?"

"He probably will," Kai assured her. "He'll see that I like you, realize you're nothing like my mother, and then warm up to you."

"What did your mother do to him that made him hate her so much?" Victoria asked curiously. "Surely she couldn't have treated him worse than she treated you."

"Well, her parents had an arranged marriage," Kai explained. "They didn't like each other very much but married cause they had to. Then her father died and her mother remarried Uncle Malachai's father, and he came into the family when he was about…four or five, I think. And because their mother liked her second husband and Uncle Malachai so much better than she did her daughters from the husband that she hated, that's why Mom and Uncle Malachai never got along. He liked my cousin Sean's mother when she was alive, though. Aunt Bridget was a much better sport about the whole second marriage than Mom was."

"Well, _everyone_ is a better sport about things than your mother," Victoria pointed out. "So when is he coming? Do you think he'll mind about the kids and our new dog?"

"Oh, I'm sure he won't," Kai assured her. "Like I said before, he's a _really_ good guy. And we have a few days to prepare for his coming. It's not like he's coming tomorrow, or in a few hours or something."

"Well, thank goodness for that," Victoria said, taking the letter and reading it over before putting it on the refrigerator. She then stood up, realizing that she was hungry. "You want me to get you some blood when I go down to get mine from the cooler?" She asked.

"Why would you want old stuff from the cooler when we have two fresh supplies down there?" Kai asked.

"Oh, damn, you're right, we do!" Victoria cried. "I suppose it won't do us any good to set them free, but since your uncle is under the impression that you've completely reformed, we might want them dead or gone or both by the time he comes."

"That is exactly what I want to hear," Kai told her. She took blood bags like normal cause she didn't like feeding from prey that was restrained, but between Kai, Molly, and Finn, (with her helping sometimes, though she took much less than the others), the men were finished off and then buried in the back yard.

"Well, that's a relief to have dealt with," Victoria said as she and Kai brought the twins in after they'd buried the bodies. "It's something I don't want to think about anymore, so don't you go doing it again."

"Okay," Kai told her and heaved a deep sigh. "I guess I can restrain myself."

"Thank you," Victoria replied and gave him a hug. "Now, how many days do we have to straighten things up before your uncle gets here?"

"Two," Kai told her. "Do you think we can do it?" He paused. "Wait a minute. Of course we can! Unless you want me to help you clean by hand and I am _not_ doing that."

"Oh, don't worry," Victoria assured him. "I wouldn't ask you to. You would just be in the way. You watch the twins and the dog and _I_ will make sure things are tidy. Okay?"

"Fine," Kai nodded. "Works for me!"

* * *

As Eva and Sean were at Christine and Matthew's house helping them with Sarah's powers (something that Victoria was utterly shocked by when Eva had told her about it: What were the odds that out of all the men Christine could have chosen to father her baby, she probably picked the _one_ magical person at the sperm bank; and what would the Council say if they knew that a warlock had given to a human sperm bank in the first place?) Victoria called her aunt Amy and to come and help her stay calm during Kai's uncle's visit.

"Are you sure the place is clean enough?" Victoria asked Amy nervously. "I could always go through it one more time."

"I really don't think that's necessary," Amy told her, holding her hand tight while keeping a firm hold on Molly with the other, which was very difficult cause she was at the squirmy age and Ginger was lying at Amy's feet. Molly really wanted to play with her dog. "You've done all you can do. The place looks wonderful."

Not quite believing her, Victoria asked Kai, who was coming back from taking Finn on a walk. "Do you think the place looks all right?" She asked. "I don't want your uncle thinking I'm a bad housekeeper."

"Oh, don't even worry about that," Kai assured her. "He's not super neat himself." He then put Finn on the ground and he crawled over to Ginger, making another attempt at being friends despite the fact that he sensed his sister was looking. Ginger had gotten used to him, but she still liked Molly much better.

Finally, the doorbell rang and Victoria jumped violently. "Someone get that!" She cried.

"Deep breaths," Kai told her as Amy put a stable hand on her back. "It's going to be okay."

He grabbed Molly and then went to answer the door, and saw his uncle standing on the other side. Malachai senior had lighter brown hair than Kai's, dark eyes, and scruff on his cheeks and chin, and a pronounced nose. He was also tan from whatever adventurous locale he'd spent his time at.

"Well, look who it is," He said and hugged Kai briefly until Molly gave a shriek of protest and he pulled away.

"Oh, sorry, sweetheart," he apologized. "I didn't see you there." He then looked at Kai. "Who's that?"

"This is Molly, she's my daughter," Kai said proudly and held her up for him to see. She smiled, showing a couple of teeth, and reached out for the stranger.

"So you're out of jail and you have a child?" His uncle asked as he took Molly, who smiled and laughed at him. "How in the world did that happen? The child part, not the jail part. I'm _very_ aware of how that happened."

"I'll show you," Kai replied and led his uncle into the living room, where Victoria rose to her feet. "Hi," she said. "You must be Kai's Uncle. I'm Victoria. Nice to meet you."

"Vicky's much nicer than my mother," Kai said to his uncle. "I promise."

"I figured as much," Malachai remarked. "You wouldn't tolerate her if she wasn't. Well, at least I _hope_ you wouldn't." He then looked down at Molly, saying to Victoria, "You have a very sweet daughter. I've always wanted one myself, but I've been so busy with work that I've never had the time. The closest I've come is donating so that other couples can make their dreams come true."

"Well, aren't you sweet?" Victoria asked. "Giving couples a chance to have children is very admirable."

"I do what I can," Malachai replied. He sat down next to Amy and said, "I know you. Where have I seen you before?"

"I used to help people organize their lives," Amy replied. "And apparently, I was quite good at it."

"You're Amy Burke!" He cried. "Yep, that's it! You wouldn't still be looking for clients, would you? I've decided to take some time off from my normal job and the adjustment to normal life is hard."

"Well, the guy I'm married to now is my primary client, but I would be more than happy to write you down a couple of hints," Amy told him. "What do you think about that?"

"Thank you," he smiled. "It's very much appreciated." He then looked down at Finn and said to Amy, "Is this one yours? Did you bring him over for Molly to play with?"

"No, this is Molly's brother Finn, actually," Amy explained. "He and Molly were born a bit early and so he's got a different power set than most people."

"Can I ask why that was?" He asked Victoria. "Or is that personal?"

"No, it's not," Victoria shook her head. "Your bitch of a sister possessed me while I was pregnant and stopped the magic flow, so the twins were cut off and it was little Finny here who took the hit. But he's much better now."

"Oh, you poor boy," Malachai said and picked up Finn after handing Molly to Victoria. Molly did _not_ like being replaced by her brother and threw a fit.

"Sorry about this," Victoria apologized. "She's got a bit of a temper when she doesn't get her way. I'll go put her in her room so we can have a pleasant visit."

"All right," Malachai nodded with a smile and a wave. "Hurry back. I can't wait to hear more about the woman who finally tamed my nephew."

"She didn't _tame_ me," Kai said, looking affronted. "I chose to compromise with her about my behavior. She may look innocent, but she's really as dark as I am about certain things."

"Is that so?" Malachai asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yep," Kai told him and took Victoria's hand while giving her a quick kiss. "And that's why I love her."


	36. An Adventurous Soul

"I hope it's not too much of an inconvenience for me to come and stay for a few days," Malachai told Victoria. "If you need me to do anything…clean the house, mow the lawn, whatever, I'll do it to earn my keep."

"That's sweet," Victoria told him. "But you're a guest; you don't need to do any of that stuff." She paused as Molly came crawling into the kitchen and tugged on Malachai's pant leg. "However," she said, looking down as he picked Molly up, "It wouldn't be too much trouble for you to watch Molly and Finn sometimes while Kai and I go out? Or just one of them? You have powers, don't you?"

"Oh, yeah," Malachai nodded. "I have powers. I can handle these children. Compared to what I've encountered on some of my adventures, they're going to be very simple to deal with."

"Don't take them so lightly," Victoria urged when she heard this. "Have you ever actually dealt much with children?"

"Well, no," Malachai admitted. "But really, how hard can it be? From what I've seen, you have two very easy-going babies in your house."

Victoria snorted. "If that's what you think, then good luck to you," she replied.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Malachai called after her when she left the kitchen. "If you know something, tell me!"

But Victoria didn't hear him cause she was heading toward her bedroom to talk to Kai.

"I'm really worried about your uncle," she told him. "I don't know if he'll be able to handle the kids. He thinks they're just a couple of well-behaved babies. Or maybe easy-going was the word he used. He hasn't spent enough time around them. Once he does, he'll see that they're not as nice as he believes."

"Oh, I don't know," Kai shrugged. "Maybe he _is_ reading them accurately. I mean, Molly only misbehaves around people she doesn't like and she seems to have taken a liking to my uncle. And I see no reason why Finn wouldn't like him. Finn gets along reasonably well with everyone."

"Maybe you're right, but I just don't want one of them to hurt him so he leaves and hates us forever," Victoria replied.

"Hey, if he's still willing to come visit me after all I've done, I think it will take more than being hurt once by a couple of babies to make it so he never wants to see us again," Kai assured her.

"I hope you're right," Victoria nodded. "Cause I really like your uncle. He's nice."

"Yeah," Kai nodded. "He really is. No wonder my mother hated him."

* * *

"So your uncle is visiting?" Adrian asked Kai as they sat in Kai and Victoria's living room. "What's he like?"

"Probably the only relative I have who likes me," Kai replied. "And he really likes the twins as well. Molly's really taken to him and so has Finn. I think he's out with them right now on a walk or something. Is that the case, Vicky?" He asked as Victoria came into the room with Ginger at her heels.

"Is what the case?" Victoria asked.

"Did Uncle Malachai talk the twins out for a walk?" Kai repeated.

"Oh, yes," Victoria nodded. "I think he did. I'm really amazed that he can handle them by himself, even if they _do_ like him. It's amazing. You would think he'd be overwhelmed, but he's not."

"Well, you heard what he said about all his adventures," Kai reminded her. "After all he's experienced looking for treasure, a couple of babies don't faze him, even if they _do_ have powers."

"Where'd the dog come from?" Adrian asked as he reached out to pet it.

"Her name is Ginger," Kai replied. "I got her from our neighbor."

"And when he says 'got' he means 'stole'" Victoria replied, but with good humor.

"Well, the man is dead," Kai told her. _"Someone_ had to look after his dog. Why not us?"

Suddenly, a glimmer came into Adrian's eyes. "I just had an idea," he said. "You having a dog is very helpful to me."

"Why?" Victoria asked.

"Well, Helene's having baby yearnings again and as usual, the thought of that terrifies me," Adrian replied. "Your dog made me think of a genius way to stall that."

"Oh?" Kai asked. "And what is it that you're thinking of doing?"

"Just a minute," Adrian replied and pulled out his phone to call his wife. "Hello, Helene? Would you mind bringing Rusty over to Kai and Victoria's? They have a dog named Ginger that I want him to meet."

"Is this some way to stall a discussion about us having another kid?" Helene asked suspiciously.

"Why are you asking that?" Adrian cried. "You should know by now that the answer is 'Yes'!"

"Well, at least you're honest about it this time," Helene said. "And I suppose that giving you a chance to do this thing with Rusty will give you more time to mentally prepare for us having more children and I'm all for that. I'll be over with him in a minute."

"Thank you, babe," Adrian told her and ended the call. "Helene is bringing Rusty over so that he and Ginger can play," he told Kai needlessly. "And don't worry, if they hit it off. Rusty can't have puppies. We had him fixed _years_ ago."

"Wow," Kai said in amazement. "You really _are_ determined to let this baby thing linger, aren't you?" He asked.

"No, I'm not _totally_ against kids," Adrian told him. "It just takes me some time to get comfortable with the idea. That's all."

"Okay," Kai nodded. "Sure. Whatever you say."

A few minutes later, Helene knocked on the door. Kai opened it and saw a dog at her side, specifically a white west highland terrier. "You remember Rusty," She said as they came inside. "He kind of gets handed around between us and our kids. Lucky for you he's at our house for the moment."

Rusty had been in Adrian's family for as long as he could remember and even before that. His parents had owned Rusty first and then when Adrian had gotten older, he'd taken charge of him. The amazing thing was that he was technically not a dog at all, but a man who'd gotten on the wrong side of his Aunt Anna, and was just one of many rejected suitors that she'd turned into puppies and then sold or given to her magical friends. Most of them just got to live normal dog lives and then die, but some, if they'd really ticked her off as Rusty had in his human form, got a spell put on them to make them immortal. Adrian wasn't sure how old Rusty actually _was_ , but he knew he'd been around a while. They watched Rusty and Ginger circle and sniff one another, and then they must have decided that they were acceptable because they begged to be let outside where they romped around the yard together.

"I think it's good for Ginger to have a friend," Victoria remarked as she watched them. "She got taken away from her owner so abruptly."

"Well, if he would have just kept her inside in the morning, he'd still be alive," Kai said irritably.

It was then that Malachai returned with the twins. "Oh, hello," he greeted Adrian warmly. "Who are you?"

"Adrian is a friend of mine," Kai told his uncle as Malachai handed him Molly. "He's visiting for a bit. And his wife Helene is here too."

"Well, you don't need to introduce _her_ ," Malachai said with a wink, giving her hand a kiss as a growl escaped Adrian's throat.

"What was that for?" Malachai asked him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Adrian nodded and tried to calm himself down. "I'm fine, really." He then busied himself entertaining Finn and tried not to think about this man who was putting his paws and lips all over Helene.

* * *

"I really think you should come with me to meet Kai's uncle," Amy told Klaus who glared at her. "He's a really charming man. I think you would be amused by what he has to say."

"Why?" Klaus asked. "Is every word out of his mouth dripping with idiocy? And Adrian told me he's a big jerk with a roving eye."

"No!" Amy shook her head. "Of course he's not an idiot! He's an adventurer. He's seen all sorts of things! Not as much as _you've_ see in the last thousand years, but you could probably exchange some interesting stories."

"In case you haven't noticed, I don't make a habit of making friends," Klaus told her. "I prefer to be by myself, or with my family, that's it."

Amy tilted her head to look at Alistair who was making up tea in the kitchen. "Is that true?" She asked him. "Does he really refuse to make friends?"

"When he's sober, yes," Alistair nodded. "When he's drunk, he's made plenty."

"You know who _else_ is terrible at making friends?" Klaus asked Alistair. "Your wife. She turned me into a frog the other day. I didn't appreciate it."

"Well, you were being irritating," Alistair said simply. "She didn't become head of the Witch's Council by sitting back and taking people's nonsense."

Klaus grumbled a reply and the Amy said, "Get up and let's go see Kai's uncle. It's been a while since you've been out of the house anyway. It'll be good for you."

"Fine," he huffed. "But we have to pick up Kol along the way. I'm not doing this alone."

Amy groaned. "Oh, all right, you big baby. We'll check if he's home, but if he's not, no more stalling. Am I clear?"

"Oh, all right, whatever!" Klaus cried as Alistair chuckled silently behind his back. They then marched out to the car and went to pick up Kol, who _was_ home.

"Where are we going?" He asked.

"Amy's making me meet Kai's uncle," Klaus huffed. "She thinks we can be friends."

"She knows you don't make friends very often right?" Kol asked. He then pulled a small flask of whiskey out of his boot and handed it to Klaus. "Here's something to help the process, brother."

"Are you wonderful or what?" Klaus asked and emptied the flask without taking a breath before handing it back to Kol. Amy rolled her eyes in the front seat, but said nothing, knowing that whatever she _did_ say wouldn't help anything.

* * *

When they finally reached Kai and Victoria's, Klaus was genuinely surprised (although he didn't want to show it too openly so Amy wouldn't be able to gloat about being right) how much he actually liked Kai's uncle. Victoria and Amy watched, very pleased as the two men conversed.

"I spent some time in Egypt myself, you know," he told Malachai after hearing his story about searching for tombs and taking back magical objects that had been taken from ancient Egyptian warlocks who were being held hostage by the Pharaohs as a way of maintaining their powers.

"Did you really?" Malachai asked. "What did you do there?"

"Well, it was the late nineteenth century and I sponsored several digs in the Valley of the Kings," Klaus told him. "You know, the race to find the next big mummy, or any mummy at all, really. It was fascinating if you ignored the heat and the bugs and the sickness. Fortunately, I was a vampire at the time so the malaria that brought down many didn't faze me at all."

"How lucky for you," Malachai replied. "Did you find any big mummies?"

"No, but for a while, I had one in my living room to show off to friends at parties. He wasn't a king or anything. Just some nobody. I mean, I thought about killing Lord Carnarvon and taking credit for King Tut even though I had nothing to do with that and wasn't even in Egypt at the time, but Alistair wouldn't let me." Klaus sighed. "Such a shame. Although the curse of Tut's tomb brought him down quick enough I suppose."

"So you don't have the mummy anymore?" Malachai asked. "Because if you did, I would _love_ to see it."

"Oh, I'm sure it's around somewhere. I'll look for it and show it to you if it turns up," Klaus promised.

They talked until Klaus grudgingly had to admit that Adrian's assessment of him was wrong. He was a good man. Maybe Adrian's belief that the man was after Helene had colored his thought of him. Because he didn't seem bad to Klaus at all.

Meanwhile, Kol wasn't paying any attention to Malachai at all. He had occupied himself with Molly and they were in her room working on her powers.

"I remember the brief period of time when I had magic," he told his granddaughter as she sat on his lap. "But that was a long time ago. But I've been good to witches since then. I wonder, if I asked nicely, if I could get my powers back? Astrid gives them back to anyone these days. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try."


	37. Going Into Hiding

"We've been driving around all day," Amy told Klaus as they pulled into the driveway of the next house that Klaus thought could contain the mummy when none of the previous four had. "Are you really _so_ excited to show Malachai your prize that you're gonna look in every house to see if you can find it?"

"Of course!" Klaus told her. " _You're_ the one who told me I should make friends with him. This is the first step to maintaining our friendship! And I thought you'd like seeing all the family houses."

"Not in one day!" Amy said. "Klaus, I'm tired. Can't we go back home and keep looking tomorrow?"

"Okay, fine," Klaus sighed. "I'll take you home. But you're really missing out on something that could be very interesting."

"Well, if you find the mummy, you can come get me cause honestly, I'm eager to see it," Amy told him.

He got out to look around the house and Amy watched him go up the steps and close the door behind him.

Just then, her phone rang. She greeted the caller, who happened to be her and Klaus' eldest daughter, Savannah.

"I have to thank you," she told her mother. "Jonathan told me after school today how you got Aunt Selina's father talking to him about his daughter being a witch, and he gets really excited about stuff like that."

"You're welcome," Amy replied. "Now would you please come up with an excuse to get your father to bring me home? He's been dragging me around all day looking for a mummy."

"Sure," Savannah nodded. "Just tell him I need to see him. That'll distract him well enough."

"That's it?" Amy asked skeptically. "Just that you need to see him? What if he asks for specifics?"

"Do you really think he will?" Savannah asked.

"Well, with how enthusiastic he is about this mummy thing, I think it'll take something pretty specific to pull him away."

"'Mummy thing'?" Savannah questioned. "What in the world do you mean by that?"

"I know this might seem unbelievable, but your father has made a new friend," Amy told her daughter. "The guy's had all these adventures and he and your father were swapping stories and now your father wants to show him proof so he doesn't think it's all made up."

"And Dad has an actual mummy somewhere?" Savannah asked. "Really?"

"I believe he had one once upon a time," Amy told her. "But I doubt it's where he thinks it is. I bet he sent it to some museum years ago and forgot about it and if I just called Alistair and asked, that's what he would tell me too and we could stop this wild goose chase."

"So we're not going with the plan where you tell him that I desperately need to see him?" Savannah clarified.

"Well, of course I'll tell him that you want to see him if you do, but I think it will be more Alistair telling him there's no chance of him finding the mummy than him wanting to see you that will tear him away from all this," Amy told her honestly. "Don't take that the wrong way."

"I don't," Savannah assured her. "Don't worry. And if he _does_ want to see me, will you have him give me a call?"

"Sure," Amy replied. "No problem. And would you tell Jonathan that I'm glad things worked out with him and Matthew? That makes me so happy."

"Of course I will," Savannah promised. "Bye, Mom!"

"Goodbye," Amy said and then called Alistair, asking the question that could have saved her from an entire day of driving around for no reason.

"No, he doesn't have the mummy anymore," Alistair confirmed. "After the craze ended and no one was interested in that sort of thing anymore, it was just in our basement gathering dust so I convinced him to donate it to a museum in London. I'm sure I have a note or something to commemorate the exchange. I'll even find it for you if Klaus causes a fuss."

"Thank you so much," Amy told him. "You might have to do that. If I just tell him, he probably won't believe me and will accuse me of trying to stop his fun on purpose."

"Which house are you at?" Alistair asked. "If you want, I could just join you and stop all the madness right now."

"Would you, please?" Amy replied. "I would love that." She scrambled to the passenger's seat and leaned forward so she could get a better look at the house through the windshield. "It's a gray house with a black tile roof and large front windows. It sort of looks like a castle. Does that sound familiar to you?"

"Yes, it does," Alistair assured her. "And are you in Klaus' car?"

"Uh-huh," Amy nodded. "Should I prepare for your showing up in the backseat?"

"Yes, things would end quicker that way," Alistair agreed. "See you in a few seconds." This was a very literal statement. A few seconds later, Amy heard a pop, and then when she turned around, Alistair, in a charcoal gray suit, was smiling at her from the backseat. "Let's nip this in the bud, shall we?" He asked her. "How long has he been dragging you around looking for something he's already given away?"

"This is the fifth house we've looked at," Amy told him. "And he has plans to take me to many more if he doesn't find what he wants here."

"And we both know he won't, so we'll just sit here and wait until he comes out," Alistair told her, moving a piece of his chin-length black hair out of his eyes. "And then I'll convince him to take you home."

"You really _are_ a useful person to have around," Amy told him fondly. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," Alistair replied with a smile. "I'm here to help."

When Klaus finally got to the car and let himself in, he said, "I know you won't be happy to hear this, but the mummy wasn't in the house. I guess we'll have to look elsewhere."

"You can look all you want, but you won't find it," Alistair told him. "You donated the mummy to a museum in London in 1912, remember?"

"Well, no," Klaus replied. "But I've lived so long and done so many things that I'm bound to forget sometimes. However, if you say I did, then I suppose it's the truth because you don't lie to me. You might fib sometimes, but that's the worst of it."

"Exactly," Alistair nodded. "Now why don't you take Amy home? I'm sure she's tired after all the driving around you've been doing today."

"I suppose I _should_ do that," Klaus agreed reluctantly. He looked at Amy and said, "Thank you for coming with me today."

"You're welcome," Amy smiled. "You were right when you said that I would find it fascinating, though. The first three houses were _amazing._ I have some ideas for fixing them up sometime, if you'd like to hear them."

"Of course," Klaus replied. "I would love to. Elijah is always saying that I should take better care of what I have and that the rotting floorboards and things will kill someone someday." He turned to Alistair. "Or was that _you_ who told me that? Sometimes you two say such similar things that I can't keep who said what straight."

"I'm sure we _both_ told you that at some point," Alistair said. "It _sounds_ like something we would say."

Klaus then pulled the car out of the driveway and Amy said, "Savannah wants to see you. You can do that after you drop me and Alistair off at our house."

"What did she want to see me about?" Klaus asked. "Is something wrong?"

"I don't think so," Amy shook her head. "I think she just wanted to have a chat. It was originally just a ruse to get you to take me home, but part of me thinks she really meant it. Have you talked to her in a while?"

"I'm ashamed to say that I haven't," Klaus confessed. "I should probably do that then. I'll drop you and Alistair off at the house, and then I'll go."

"All right," Amy replied. "Sounds like a plan."

* * *

After Alistair and Amy were sitting in the living room with tea in hand, Amy asked him, "So…how are things with you? Are you well? Is Astrid all right?"

"She's fine physically, but as for how things are at work, I'm a bit worried for her," Alistair confessed.

"Why?" Amy asked. "Has something happened?"

"Not yet, but I think it might," Alistair replied. "People are starting to complain about how much power she's returned to people since she's taken office, much more than just the single criminal for the ceremony once a year. I think that what she did for Kai put people over the edge."

"So are they plotting to fire her now?" Amy asked. "I think it's a bit hypocritical for them to come at her so harshly for that. If they were in her place, they would all be doing favors for their friends too, and at least Astrid means well, unlike some of them."

"Lots of people think she's too soft-hearted," Alistair replied. "And sometimes, although I love her to pieces, I have to wonder too." He then looked at Amy, his eyes full of shame. "Please don't tell her I said that. I think people are just on the edge with her now. If she keeps herself in line and doesn't give anyone else a free pass, then she might just be forgiven. But if one more person gets their powers returned when it wouldn't be natural for them to have them, it could lead to a possible full-scale revolt!"

"I won't say anything," Amy promised. "And I'm sure that there's no one else for Astrid to give powers back to anyway. Can you think of anyone?"

"No, fortunately," Alistair replied. "Not off the top of my head."

* * *

"Just to warn you, your grandfather is thinking of getting his magic back," Regina told Victoria (and also Kai, who was sitting next to her.) "Probably because he wants to try and one-up Kai."

"He has _magic_?" Kai asked, his eyes widening. "Since when? I thought he was a vampire!"

"He is," Regina nodded. "But before he was a vampire, he was a warlock because his mother is a witch. Then, when they got made vampires, the witch who created them made every boy in the family have his power made dormant while Grandma, Aunt Anna, and his other sisters got to keep theirs. Cause of the belief of some witches that men can't handle magic." She looked apologetically at Kai. "Not that I need to tell you about that."

"No," Kai said darkly. "No, you don't. Do you think Kol will try and kill me if for some reason Astrid agrees to give him what he wants?"

"Oh, I don't think so," Regina assured him. "Mom's got your back. She's daggered him once already and if he messed with you, I'm sure she'd do it again. But until we're sure, can you go back to your solitary dimension for a bit? And maybe bring your uncle? Cause since he's a relative, Kol could target him, too."

"Good idea," Kai agreed. "And it's good timing too; the kids are finally old enough for inter-dimensional travel."

"Would it be possible for you to call me once you get there and let me know that you're safe?" Regina asked Victoria. "Please?"

"Of course," Victoria told her. "And would you tell Dad that we're gonna be all right too?"

"Sure," Regina nodded. "Because of course he'll want to know." She left then and Kai and Victoria began throwing things in suitcases, something Malachai noticed right away when he returned home from the store.

"Is this some sort of message to me?" He asked dryly. "Should I pack my things and go?"

"Well, yes and no," Kai replied. "I've been on the wrong side of Victoria's crazy grandfather ever since we met and now her grandmother says that he's trying to get his magic powers back, and we figure once he has them, he'll come after me, so she suggested we go into my personal dimension and hide out for a while. You can come with us if you want. In fact, that would probably be the best thing for you."

"All right," Malachai nodded. "I'll go and get packed. It's amazing how many people you've alienated over the years, Kai. If your mother knew the length of the list, she'd be proud."

"No," Kai said with a sigh. "Nothing I do would make her proud. Not the littlest bit." He looked up at his uncle then and Malachai stared at him for a few seconds before reaching out and giving him a brief hug. "She's dead now," he reminded his nephew. "She can't hurt us anymore."

After they were all packed up, Kai did the spell to call up the portal, then he, Victoria, his uncle, and the twins, went through it, and Kai breathed a sigh of relief as he looked around the house that was more a home to him than any place in the real world had ever been.

* * *

As Kai and Victoria were settling back into the other dimensional house, Kol and Margot were strolling through the doors of the Council building.

"I've said this before, but I'll say it again," Margot told him. "What you're doing is _not_ a good idea, Kol. It won't work."

"Of course it will!" Kol told her. "She knows Nik, and if she'll do things for him, why won't she do things for me?"

"Cause that's not how the law works," Margot said. "She can't just go around giving powers to anyone. It could get her in trouble! Hell, even giving _me_ my powers back was stretching it. And Amy."

"What does the magical government have against people getting their powers back anyway?" Kol asked.

"Well, the thought is that if the government is too liberal with it, someone who shouldn't have their powers back will get them back and cause trouble," Margot replied. "Like you, for instance."

"That's _completely_ ridiculous!" Kol snapped. "Think of all the good I've done for the magical community over the years! When my nephew Adrian took over New Orleans. for instance, and he killed and enslaved witches and warlocks all around the city, who was it that led the resistance? That would be me! Don't you think I deserve some sort of reward for that?"

"I suppose," Margot nodded. "But do you deny that the only reason why you want your powers back is so you can do bad things to Kai?"

"What does that matter?" Kol cried. "He's a bad guy! So many people would be on my side!"

"But it's still not a good thing to promote and that's what Astrid would be doing if she gave you your powers back," Margot replied. "You can ask her, but I don't think you'll get what you want."

And as it turned out, Margot was right. They strode out of her office disappointed, after getting just a curt, "No" as a response to their request.

"See?" Margot said. "I told you. Astrid's having to be more careful now. People are beginning to whisper about her taking advantage of her position in a bad way and wanting to replace her, so she can't afford to push her luck."

"But she _can't_ be the only avenue for me to get what I want, right?" Kol asked. "I'm sure there are other ways."

"Sure, but they aren't legal," Margot told him.

"Do you really think that matters to me?" Kol asked her.

"No, but I just thought I'd mention it," Margot finished and then let him led her back to their car.


	38. Strange Magic

"Are you sure we're ready to do this?" Victoria asked as she and Kai stood in front of the door of the play room. Molly and Finn were fighting over Uncle Malachai, which gave their parents time to themselves, and figuring out what to do with that time was more challenging than they thought it would be. Or at least Victoria thought it would be.

"Why _wouldn't_ we be ready to do this?" Kai asked. "It's been ages. If we don't do it now, we might never do it." He paused. "Well, not _never_ because I wouldn't allow, that, but…I just don't want to wait anymore!"

"I suppose I don't either," Victoria agreed. "I just hope your uncle doesn't find us in here. That might prove embarrassing. But then again, when my grandfather walked in on my parents during _their_ fun time, that didn't stop them."

Kai burst out laughing. "Your grandfather did _what?_ " He'd heard her. He just wanted her to repeat it while he imagined the look that must've been on Kol's face when he found out what naughty stuff his daughter was into.

Taking a deep breath, Kai opened the door and they headed into the play room, shutting the door behind them.

"You wanna take the lead?" He asked her. "Or should I?"

"I will," Victoria replied. So he stripped down to his boxers and she chained him up and pulled out a whip, hitting him soundly as he laughed. But when she finally let him down, he saw a strange look on her face. She didn't look aroused at all.

"What's the matter?" He asked. "You used to enjoy this. You think it would go better if I took control?"

"No," Victoria shook her head. "I think that would be worse. I just…I don't feel the same way about this as I used to, but I'm sure it's only temporary. Motherhood softening me up and all that. Maybe we can try again later."

"Or maybe you just need to get a drink in you," Kai said. "Why don't we try that?"

"All right," Victoria nodded. "Whatever."

So they split a bottle of wine and soon she was whipping and biting him with the same enthusiasm that she once had.

"I'm so glad it worked," he said as she licked a stream of blood off his neck. "I was getting really worried for a minute there, Vicky."

"Yeah, me too," Victoria replied. "My god, you taste so good!"

When they finally emerged from the playroom, they soon ran into Malachai, who had one twin in each arm.

"Sorry you had to watch them for so long," Victoria said. "We were…we were a little busy."

"Well, that's fine," Malachai told her. "But would you…would you mind letting me have a bit of a break now?" He paused, studying them both. "Wait, have you two been drinking?"

"Just a bottle," Kai told him. "That's it, I promise."

Malachai sighed. "You two go and dry out," he said. "Then I'll take my break and call Klaus to tell him where I've gone. Can you do that in a solitary dimension?"

"Yeah," Victoria nodded. "Just pick up the phone and think of who you're gonna call."

"How long should I tell him I'm gonna be here?" Malachai asked. "Cause I really can't wait to see his mummy."

"Until my grandfather no longer wants to kill Kai," Victoria said. "And who knows how long that could be."

She then had to make a run for the bathroom as Malachai got his nephew a coffee and then after putting the twins in their cribs, went to Call Klaus and tell him what was going on.

* * *

"We're still doing that plan to bring Kai down, right?" Kol asked Klaus the next day. "Or have you softened toward him just like everyone else because you and his uncle are buddies now?"

"Well, Malachai is one of the few friends I actually have and I think that killing his nephew would alienate him," Klaus replied. "Let's just give it a rest, shall we?"

"Somehow I _knew_ you were going to say that," Kol told him, his eyes narrowed. "So I've decided to do the whole thing on my own."

"Oh?" Klaus asked, eyebrow raised. "And how are you planning on doing that?"

"Well, first I have to get my powers back," Kol replied. "And once I do, I'll be more powerful than Kai and I can kill him."

"And how will Victoria and your grandchildren feel about you doing that?" Klaus asked. "Really, Kol. I'm shocked that you think you'll be able to get away with this and not have everyone turn against you."

"Even if they do, it's a small price to pay," Kol replied stubbornly. "Now, are you _positive_ you won't come with me, Nik? Come on, last chance."

"No," Klaus shook his head impatiently. "Goodbye, Kol."

"Fine, but you're missing out," Kol told him. He then went to meet one of his old friends, a warlock named Daniel, who cared nothing for magical law, and in fact did everything he could to go against it.

They met at Kol and Margot's house, from which Margot was absent, more than happy to be out of the way when she found out what her husband and his friend were up to.

"Yeah, sure," she told him. "I'd be more than happy to be out of your hair while you and your friend call up the forces of darkness to get your magic back. Astrid's taking a much harder line on stuff like that now, so I don't want to be involved. But if something goes wrong and you end up powerless and without an eye or a leg or something, don't come crying to me."

Kol smirked. "That's very sweet of you," he told her. "But nothing like that will happen." He pointed to the pale man with dirty blond hair and deep, sunken eyes. "Daniel knows what he's doing. He's done it for years and hasn't been caught yet."

"Well, he's very lucky, isn't he?" Margot asked. "Here's hoping for your sake that his streak of good fortune continues." She left then and Kol went back to Daniel, who had an interesting look on his face.

"I thought you said your wife was cool about stuff like this," he said. "But it doesn't seem like she is."

Kol scoffed. "Her sister is pretty moral. I think Amy's rubbed off on her over the years. But she's not _so_ moral that she'll try and stop us. She'll probably just make me take the fall without help if anything bad happens."

"And nothing will," Daniel assured him. "Do you trust me?"

"I wouldn't be asking you to do this if I didn't," Kol replied firmly. "Now, don't tell me you're losing your nerve."

"Of course I'm not," Daniel told him. He found the right spell (in a grimoire that had belonged to an ancestor of his who'd been burned for practicing really dark magic), and then dimmed the lights and lit some candles, taking Kol's hand. He looked the spell over and then began reciting it.

At first, all seemed well, and Kol felt something begin to course through him almost immediately. But then, a burning pain shot through him, almost as if his body was on fire. He began screaming and trying to pull away so much that Daniel had to grip him hard because if he let him go, their connection would be broken and everything would be useless.

Finally, though, the pain stopped and Kol found himself lying on the floor and covered in sweat as he stared up at Daniel. "What the hell was that?" He asked. "My wife didn't go through anything as painful when she got her powers back, and she's a vampire too!"

"Well, I _did_ just zap you with the illegal version of the spell," Daniel reminded him. "The dark magic versions pack a much stronger punch than their gentler light magic counterparts. Plus, the magic that made you an Original might have mixed badly with it or something. But the important thing is, you got through it and you're not dead." He helped Kol up to a sitting position and then said, "Go ahead and try it out. Break some windows or something."

Thinking that using his powers to break a window was much too asinine, Kol tried to put all the candles out instead. But as he was out of practice, his attempts just made the fire stronger and soon the entire living room was alight.

"Oh, shit!" Daniel cried. "Oh, shit!"

Kol let out a stream of colorful phrases of his own before Daniel finally got enough water to get the fire out. But even then, everything was smoldering and smoky, and when Margot returned, she frowned at them. "I thought you said you had everything under control," she told Kol.

"Well, we managed to get the fire out," Kol told her. "Doesn't that count for something?" He paused. "You want me to show you my powers."

"No," Margot shook her head and gestured wildly around their burnt out living room. "I think I've seen enough for now."

"Well, fine," Kol told her. "You're not the one my powers are meant for, anyway. Kai's the one that needs to see them."

"Good luck getting to him," Margot replied. "Regina tipped him off and now he's away."

"Did they go to that silly dimension of solitude?" Kol asked. "I broke in there once, and I think I can do it again."

Margot sighed and then he said, as Daniel popped out of the living room without so much as a goodbye, "I suppose that can wait until tomorrow. Why don't I clean up the living room and then we can have dinner and a drink?"

"I like that idea," Margot replied. "But if you have so little control over your powers that this is the result, it might be best if I clean up."

"Give me a break," Kol told her. "This is the first time I've had magic in a thousand years."

"All the more reason to make sure you're well-taught before you try and use it," Margot said firmly.

"What kind of wine do you want?" Kol asked. "Does it matter?"

"Yes," Margot nodded. "Something white. "I would say 'Surprise me' but you've already done that enough today."


	39. An Escape Plan

"Okay, you have to stop now," Margot told Kol as he used his magic to change one thing after another and refused to turn off the lights and let her sleep. "Don't you see that this isn't right? Normally, I think the idea of there being balance in the world and people having too much power for their own good is stupid, but I think you're there! I think this plan of yours is complete bullshit! What's so wrong with how things were before? Why can't you just go back to being the Original who helps magic kind instead of hurting them?"

"Oh, I still _am_ that person," Kol told her calmly. "Once I kill Kai, I'll go back to how things were. I promise."

"I don't think it will be that easy!" Margot cried. "You had dark magic done on you by someone who clearly has no idea what the hell they're doing. I'm not gonna put up with this!"

She then used her magic to lift him off his feet. "You and I are going to the hospital to get you detoxed. Then _maybe_ I can get some sleep."

"Put me down!" Kol cried, now sorely regretting what he'd done because it took away the power over his wife that he _did_ have, or at least what made them equal. She zapped on some clothes and then after she froze him, she drove to the hospital, where she took him inside and explained to the hospital what happened.

"The problem isn't that I froze him and have no idea how to undo it," she told the woman at the desk. "It's that he was dumb enough to dabble in dark magic to get back powers that he lost and now everything is screwed up. Do you think you can fix him?"

"Of course," The woman nodded. She then called for some help to come and get Kol to a hospital room. "We'll take good care of him," she promised Margot. "You go home, get some rest, and don't worry about a thing."

"Oh, I'm not worried," Margot assured the gray-haired woman. "And he's a bit of an ass, so if you need to use force on him to get him to do what you need, don't hesitate. Goodnight, and thank you for looking after my husband."

The nurse gave her a raised eyebrow as she turned on her heel, her messy red hair giving a flip, and walked out of the hospital to drive home and go to sleep.

* * *

The only reason why Kol was kept in the hospital as long as he was was that they kept him in his frozen state for some time and then sedated him until it was clear what to do with him. Then they took all the magic off and when he was left alone, that's when Kol plotted his escape the following evening. He didn't deserve to be here. There was nothing wrong with him, no matter _what_ Margot said. With a grunt of pain, he began detaching himself from everything that was regulating his vital signs, and just as he was getting out of bed, his elderly nurse came and tried to stop him. But she was no match for how determined he was. He killed her and then ran out of the room, shooting magic over his shoulder at anyone who pursued him. Eventually, he got out of the hospital and hijacked an ambulance, but he knew he wouldn't be able to hide forever. He had to pick a place where he knew he'd be protected. Margot wouldn't be any help cause she'd sent him to the hospital in the first place. There was only one other place he could think of where he would get the help he desired. He started the ambulance, and drove to Klaus and Amy's, getting in through a window, and heading to their room.

* * *

Klaus was suddenly awoken in the middle of the night, and it wasn't immediately clear to him what had caused it. Then, he heard a cry and turned on the light. Kol was standing on Amy's side of the bed with one hand grabbing a fistful of her red hair and his other hand over her mouth, his teeth showing in a wicked grin as he eyed his brother.

"Kol, what in the hell?" Klaus asked.

"You let me stay here until I say, or I kill her," Kol said. "It should be an easy choice, right?" But he suddenly felt an elbow plow into his gut and teeth bite into the soft flesh of his palm hard enough to draw blood. He let her go, curses spewing from his mouth.

"I don't know why you have to cause such trouble," Amy smirked at him. "If you wanted to stay, all you have to do is ask."

"I know you like being soft-hearted, love," Klaus told her. "But if he's here at this time of night, the best thing to do is turn him out. Cause he's probably running from something."

"Is this true?" Amy asked Kol. "Have you and my sister had a fight? Why don't we talk about it?"

"No, I don't _want_ to talk about it," Kol said shortly. "I just want a bedroom and a promise that you won't tell anyone where I am. _Especially_ not your sister."

"They _are_ having a fight," Amy said knowingly as she turned to face Klaus. "I suppose I won't call Margot now. When she's in a bad mood, the best thing to do is give her time to calm down and not push her."

"Good, yes," Kol nodded. "Thank you so much."

"And in a few days, I'll talk to her," Amy said.

"Do you have to?" Kol asked. "Why can't you just…not?"

"Why shouldn't I?" Amy asked. "I'm sure that no matter how bad your fight is, she'll want to know where you are." She paused and crossed her arms. "Unless you're lying to me about you and Margot. Are you lying to me?"

Kol looked at Klaus. "She's not gonna let this go until I tell her the truth, is she?" He asked Klaus.

"No. no, she's not," Klaus answered. "So you might as well just tell her what's going on and save us all a bunch of pain."

"Okay," Kol sighed. "I got someone to use magic to get me my powers back. Margot disagreed with that decision and she forced me to go to the hospital for detox. I busted out of there and now I'm on the lam. Happy?"

"Honestly, no I'm not," Amy shook her head. "Kol, what in the world were you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that I want to kill Kai for ruining my granddaughter and the only way I can do that effectively is to have powers just like him," Kol explained. "And just like I promised Margot, once Kai is dead, I'll get rid of my powers and just be a vampire again."

"I see it will be no use to lecture you about how wrong your actions are," Amy told him with narrowed eyes. "I'm sure you've heard it all and don't care."

"Yep," Kol nodded with a smirk. "Exactly."

"And since that's the case, why don't we just go to bed and we'll talk more about this later. I'm sure that's all right with you?" Amy asked.

"Yes," Kol nodded. "Thank you, and goodnight. And if people come from the hospital looking for me, tell them that you don't know where I am, all right?"

"Fine," Amy sighed. "Whatever. Turn the light out on your way out the door, would you?"

Kol nodded and soon the room was submerged in darkness, allowing Amy to finally drop back onto her pillow, shut her eyes, and go back to bed.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the other dimensional house, Malachai was adjusting well.

"I'm glad you found something to do with yourself here that's more than just watching our children," Kai told his uncle. He then noticed that his uncle was beeping buttons on something that looked like a phone. "You won't be able to get cell reception here," he said. "Or at least it won't be good reception if you do."

"Oh, this isn't a phone," Malachai told his nephew.

"What is it?" Kai asked, trying to look over his shoulder.

"It's nothing you need to worry about," his uncle told him curtly. "Never mind."

"All right, geez!" Kai said, stepping back a little. "Sorry."

"No, I'm sorry," Malachai replied with a sigh and held out the device to his nephew. "Remember how I told you and Victoria that I make it possible for other people to have children because I don't have time to have any of my own?"

"Yeah," Kai nodded. "I remember that."

"Well, this thing here shows me when I have a new child," Malachai said, his dark green eyes lightening a little. "Apparently, it's a little girl."

"That's nice," Kai replied. "Do you…do you wish you could meet your children sometime?"

"Oh, I don't have to wish that," Malachai assured him. "I know I will someday. Now, let's not talk about this anymore, all right?"

"Fine," Kai nodded. "Whatever you say." He then went to see Victoria, who was, as usual, having a battle of wills with Molly over what she was supposed to have for lunch. The walls around her high chair were covered with food, and Kai slipped on some mushed carrots Molly had dropped on the floor.

"Oh, fuck it!" He cried as his head hit the tile floor.

"Fuck it!" Molly repeated in a cheery voice, showing, as was the case, that she was much more perceptive than most kids her age.

"Oh, for the love of…" Victoria turned away from her daughter and helped Kai to his feet. "Sorry about that," she apologized. "I knew I should have cleaned that up. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Kai nodded. "You want me to take over for you?"

"Yes, please," Victoria nodded as she looked at Finn with sympathy. He'd finished his lunch like a good little boy and was now beginning to fuss because he was bored and wanted to be let out of his chair. Victoria cleaned off the floor, got Kai some ice for his head, and then, as she got Finn out of his chair, watched Kai deal with their daughter, who was a lot more obedient to him than he ever was to her and feeling just a little bit jealous while wondering just what sort of person her daughter's willful attitude would make her in the future.


	40. Damage Undone

"Okay," Margot told Klaus when she stopped by the next day. She'd heard that he'd escaped from the hospital and knew there were only so many places he would go to hide out. "I'm here to pick up my husband."

"Sorry, we can't help you," Klaus told her. "He left."

"He _left?_ " Margot cried. "But I have to get him back to the hospital! He has to be detoxed! He's so dangerous now with _both_ sets of powers!"

"Oh, come now, Margot," Klaus said to her. "It can't really be that bad! May I remind you that he roamed free for years before he ever even met you? I wouldn't worry about him if I were you."

"Thanks for the advice, but I don't think I'll listen to it," Margot replied. "Cause unlike some people, I actually still care about your brother, even when he's being an ass."

And her worry wasn't for nothing. A few days later, she got a call from her daughter Regina. "Mom, you and I have a problem on our hands. Dad is going nuts. He's not using any caution at all. And if we don't find him, either Grandpa Mikael will or the Council will and it won't end well either way."

"Yep," Margot sighed. "I knew this would happen. I was just waiting for the call. How desperate is your grandfather to catch him?"

"Well, I asked if we could let Dad go, you know, just cause he's family, but Grandpa said that would set a bad precedent," Regina told her. "The most lenient he would be is to let me tell you so we'd have a fighting chance to find Dad first and calm him down."

"For your grandfather, that's awfully generous," Margot said. "Have you thanked him?"

"I did," Regina agreed. " _Believe me,_ I did."

"So…where's your father now? I assume you and your grandfather are tracking him?" Margot asked, her hand gripping the phone tight. "Is he close enough that I can follow him?"

"Well, it's a bit of a drive, but he's not unreachable," Regina said. "Let's go!"

* * *

When she heard Regina's car drive up, Margot grabbed her purse and ran outside, then stopped short when she saw the other people in the car. Mikael sat in the drivers' seat next to Regina and Gwen sat in the back.

"Well, what are you just standing there for?" Gwen called. "You have a husband to catch, don't you? Unless you want him to be put away."

"Oh, no, I don't," Margot replied and came to sit next to her. "I'm sort of surprised to see you," she confessed. "I thought it would just be Regina and me alone that would be doing this."

"Not likely!" Mikael said. "Not that I don't trust you, but Kol is in a very vulnerable position right now, and I don't want to take any chances of this whole thing going wrong."

"Well, here's an idea," Margot said. "You could make it so he's _not_ in a vulnerable position. That's entirely your choice!"

"Remember, Mom," Regina reminded her gently. "We're going to save him not to kill him. Be nice."

"You're right," Margot sighed. "Sorry."

"It's okay, dear," Gwen told her. "He irritates me too, and I married him. That's why I came along: to make sure he didn't overstep his boundaries."

"Why did you have to tell her that, Gwendolyn?" Mikael asked. "I'm sure she knows. You don't need to say it."

"Yes, I do," Gwen smirked. "Because every time I do, it makes you irritated. That amuses me."

To keep her mind off the undoubtedly bad things Kol was doing, Margot tried to engage in small talk. "So," she said to Gwen, "How are King and Vivi doing? Have you talked to them recently?"

"King doesn't like to talk to us," Mikael told her. "I can't imagine why not."

"Speak for yourself," Gwen told him. "King called me just last night. We had a nice long chat about nothing. It was so nice."

"How come he talks to you and not to me?" Mikael asked, looking offended. "That's just nonsense!"

"Well, maybe if you didn't criticize everything about him then he'd actually want to talk to you," Gwen shot back.

"You can't say you weren't annoyed when he came to our house and whined every time he and Vivi had a fight," Mikael told her. "I know you were just as upset about that as I was."

"Well, sure," Gwen agreed. "But there are things other than that that I'm a lot more tolerant of than you are. Like his whole relationship with Vivi, for instance."

"I still can't believe he married Klaus' daughter," Mikael huffed. "If they hadn't had Eva for me to be so fond of, I would have hated the relationship completely."

"You _still_ hate it," Gwen reminded him. "It's just that now you've finally learned to keep your mouth shut because whining gets you nowhere."

"I do _not_ whine, Gwendolyn!" Mikael snapped.

They continued to talk in this manner and Margot tuned it out, looking out the window and alternating her thoughts between worrying about if Kol were okay and wanting to kill him for doing something so idiotic in the first place.

* * *

When they finally found Kol, he was standing in the front yard of an abandoned house, bodies around him, and a fire that was burning several other poor dead.

Seeing the scope of all that he'd done, Margot couldn't help but be awestruck by how much damage he'd caused in so little time. Thankfully, Regina was more on the ball than she was and took control of the situation.

"Daddy, you're done," she told him firmly, putting a firm hand on his arm, her blue eyes flashing. "This has to stop now."

"No!" Kol shook his head and pulled out of her grip. "Why?"

"Cause if you don't stop, the Council will kill you or I will," Mikael told him firmly. "You're putting our entire species at risk with your foolishness. Go home with your wife now, and I'll turn my back and pretend this never happened."

Kol pushed Margot away. "And what if I don't _want_ to go home with my wife?" He asked. "This is just practice for my big plan. I can't stop this until I've gone through with my big plan!"

"And what's your big plan?" Mikael asked.

"He wants to kill the Parker boy for kidnapping Victoria!" Gwen replied and rolled her eyes. "My god, don't you pay attention to _anything_?"

"Well, why should I bother with what some insignificant warlock is doing when his actions don't affect me?" Mikael asked.

"Actually, they do now," Regina told him. "Daddy killed him when he had vampire blood in his system. He's both a warlock and a vampire now. He's a hybrid."

Mikael narrowed his eyes at Kol and grabbed his arm. When Kol was dumb enough to try and strike him, Mikael reached inside him and took hold of his heart as Kol let out a grunt. "You have to understand the seriousness of what you've done," Father told son firmly. "I'm doing this in front of your wife and daughter so you see what suffering your actions have caused and give you motivation not to do them again. Do you understand?"

Kol looked at Margot and Regina, who looked horrified, and then nodded. "Yes," he got out. "Yes."

"And you're going to let Margot take you to the hospital so they can end this ridiculous idea of yours to be a warlock too?" Mikael pressed.

"Yes, all right!" Kol agreed reluctantly.

"You better not be lying to me," Mikael told him, letting him go and pushing him into his wife and daughter's arms. "I leave him in your charge, Margot, and I hope we don't have to do this again."

"Oh, we won't," Margot replied. "I'll make sure of it."

* * *

"And what are we doing now?" Kai asked Victoria when he found her in the living room with the twins in crawling positions. "Something exciting?"

"Of course," Victoria nodded. "I know I'm not as exciting as I used to be, but I'm working on it." Kai then watched in amazement as she made a rabbit appear and then slit its throat. As it bled, she fed while the twins watched, their eyes on the rabbit without blinking.

When Victora had drained the poor creature and made the body disappear, Molly let out a cry.

"I know you're upset that you didn't get any," Victoria told her and patted her head. "But you're much too little to get blood that way. If you want, we can put some in your bottle. Let's do that, all right?"

Kai was surprised when he came into the kitchen and found Victoria fiddling with the lid of Molly's bottle after pouring some blood in it.

"No formula mixed in with that?" He asked. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Victoria nodded. "I realize that I've lost my edge since I became a mother and now that our children are no longer entirely helpless, I think I'll work on getting it back. Starting with how our children have access to blood. Do you have a problem with that?"

"No, of course not," Kai shook his head. "I think it's wonderful. If you weren't doing it now, I would have soon."

"I figured as much, which is why I took the wheel of the whole process," Victoria smiled. She then started to feed Molly the undiluted blood. The little girl looked like she enjoyed the process, unlike her brother, who cried and spat and refused to have more than a little.

"Sorry, Finny," Victoria apologized and cuddled him. "We'll just wait with you. It's all right."

Finn gave his mother a look as if she'd horribly betrayed him and reached for his father. Kai took him and said, "How strange; he's had blood before. I wonder why he's acting oddly now."

"Maybe I just gave him too much at one time," Victoria shrugged.

"Yeah," Kai nodded. "Maybe that's it."

* * *

"Kol, you're an idiot," Klaus remonstrated his brother, who had finally been put back in the hospital and set up in a room after being put in some sort of magical coma. "If you hadn't tried to do all the bullshit you did, you wouldn't be in this situation."

"It's probably best that they're taking his powers away," Amy sighed. "He just…he just doesn't know how to use them responsibly."

"Well, he didn't even _before_ we were vampires," Klaus remarked. "Why do you think your grandmother Mathilde cursed him?"

"I thought it was because he screwed around with one witch too many," Amy said. "Is that wrong?"

"Well, it's part of it," Klaus replied. "But not the whole story."

" _What in the world is all that commotion out there?" Elissavetta asked as she looked out the door of their house at the army of women who were approaching. "Looks like Kol's army of women are finally coming to give him what he deserves."_

" _Oh, don't be silly," Mikael told her, clapping a smirking Kol on the back. "If they all find him attractive, it's not his fault."_

 _Elissavetta now turned on her son suspiciously. "You haven't done anything to these girls, have you?" She asked him._

" _No," Kol told her firmly. "Just like Father says, if they all find me that attractive, it's not my fault, Mother."_

 _Rolling her eyes, Elissavetta headed to the door and got a good look at the approaching horde of women. They were definitely under some sort of spell. She told the girls to go home and then headed next door to her old friend Lorelei, one of the most powerful witches she knew who had bright red hair and a gentle disposition but was very serious about protecting magical people._

" _I'm concerned about Kol," Elissavetta confessed. "I sense he's doing something to the girls around here, but he refuses to admit it. It will take more than a scolding to get the point across."_

" _Well, I'm glad that you came to me," Lorelei told her. "After what he put Mathilde through I was close to cursing him myself."_

" _So what should we do?" Elissavetta asked. "Clearly just talking to him wouldn't work since Mikael is refusing to show him that his behavior is wrong along with me."_

" _I think we may have to curse him," Lorelei replied. "It's really the only punishment that will stick."_

" _Curse him?" Elissavetta asked, her eyes wide. "I know he's done wrong, but hurting him isn't the answer."_

" _Oh, it won't be anything that hurts him," Lorelei assured her. "Just a little reminder not to repeat his current behavior. And I think it would be best to let Mathilde carry it out. He still has feelings for her, even if he won't admit it."_

 _So that night, Lorelei sent her pretty blonde daughter Mathilde (whose father was a Gallic warlock her mother had met on her travels) to visit Kol and ask him to dinner._

 _After she fed him and plied him with drink, they both went to bed, and afterward, when Kol was snoring softly beside her, that was when Mathilde did as her mother had bade her._

" _If we please you," she whispered, "may you never stray from us. May you always have magic-kind in your thoughts and heart and love no other. And for your treachery, when you do love, you'll make the unfortunate witch lose her powers so that she may leave you, and you'll be lonely and miserable for the rest of your days." She then kissed his lips and fell asleep with her head on his chest._

"I don't believe it," Amy shuddered a little. "It all seems so cold!"

"Less cold than killing him," Klaus shrugged. "That's what I always thought Mathilde should have done. I was just waiting for the witch mob to come for him and tear him limb from limb." He sighed. "Oh, well. We can't have everything, can we?"

They then watched as Astrid and a bunch of other official-looking people from the council entered his room and the power was drained from his still body.

"Sorry," Astrid apologized to Klaus on the way out. "It had to be done, you know that. And don't you go being as stupid as he was and getting ideas."

"Oh, I won't," Klaus promised. "You won't have any magic-related trouble from me."

"Good," Astrid replied. "Cause what you do is a vampire is bad enough, even with Amy and Alistair watching you."

"Yeah," Klaus chuckled, looking not at all sorry. "It is, isn't it?"


	41. A Little More Danger

"Margot?" Kol asked, opening his eyes when he was finally taken out of his coma and staring at his wife who was sitting next to him on the bed. "Margot, are you here, or am I hallucinating?"

"I'm here," Margot replied. "Regina had to work and couldn't come and see you, so here I am. When they told you they were taking you out of the coma, I didn't want you to wake up alone, even if you _are_ kind of a dork."

"You didn't?" Kol tried to sit up and then gave her a wry smile. "It's cause you can't resist me, is it? You're certainly easy on the eyes. Come on, tell me how handsome I am."

"Oh, yes," Margot nodded. "You look so incredibly attractive in that green hospital gown."

"You speak dryly, but I'll have you know I'm not wearing anything under it," Kol reminded her. "Come over here and I'll show you."

"Well, it's nice to see the coma didn't to any damage," Margot replied and then kissed him just as the doctor came in.

"How are you feeling, the woman asked Kol. "Are you drowsy or sick or having trouble remembering things?"

"No, he's fine," Margot told her. "He called out my name and then tried to prove to me that he wasn't wearing anything under his hospital gown. That's normal behavior for him. I don't see a problem."

"Ah," The doctor nodded with a smile that brought up one corner of her mouth. Then she looked at Kol. "Now, without your powers, you're just a vampire, right?"

"No, I am not!" Kol said, looking affronted and trying to get out of bed even though Margot held him back the best she could. "I'm not _just_ a vampire! I ought to kill you for that!"

"Kol, no!" Margot replied. Then she grabbed him and kissed him before shoving him back on the bed. "Just lay there and be calm," she remonstrated. "We don't need you to have a higher death toll than you already do."

"Fine," Kol replied. "But will you tell this person who I am?"

The doctor raised an eyebrow and Margot said, "He's not _just_ a vampire. He was one of the first ones ever made. He's an Original."

"Ah," the doctor nodded, though she looked thoroughly underwhelmed. "All right then, Mr. Mikaelson. I apologize for not acknowledging that sooner."

"You better be sorry!" Kol replied.

"Now that he's up, will you be sending him home, or what?" Margot asked.

"If he acts like this all the time we might have to," the doctor told her. "I mean, we'll have to test his powers to see if everything is in order, but that shouldn't take long. If he stays here for a long period of time, he'll drive everyone insane and I don't think any of us want that."

"Oh, no," Margot shook her head. "Of course not."

"I'm going to go get some of my tools and then we'll test his powers and after that, you can take him home," the doctor continued. "And if you'd like, I could prescribe you some medication to help with stress or migraines or something. Do you need that?"

"Thanks, but no," Margot told her. "I'm used to all of that now."

The doctor nodded and headed out, and then Margot pulled out a bag that had some clothes in it (a green shirt and a pair of jeans and boxers, along with socks and black sneakers with white laces) and threw them at her husband. "Put these on," she said. "You can't very well be naked when the nurse comes to test your powers, can you?"

"No," Kol scoffed. "But you don't have to worry. I would never be naked for _her_ , anyway." He then groaned a little and rubbed his chest.

"What's the matter?" Margot asked, her voice full of concern. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Kol replied. "Just…I'm still feeling what my father did, you know, threatening to pull out my heart and all."

"Well, that's your own fault," Margot told him. "You were the one who was dumb enough to punch him in the face or whatever it was that you did. Didn't you have an inkling that that wouldn't end well?"

"Sure, but I was a bit high on blood at the time," Kol reminded her. "And that doesn't always make you think your best."

"Yeah, well, that explains a lot," Margot told him. She then watched him dress and he'd just finished zipping up his pants when the doctor came back. They did a quick run-through of his powers and then when it was clear that he was fine, Margot signed him out.

* * *

"Thank you for being there when I woke up," Kol told her on the drive home. "I know I don't say it enough, and I'm probably not demonstrative enough for you, but…I really liked seeing your face when I opened my eyes."

"It's no trouble at all," Margot told him. "I was glad to do it. And I hope this escapade has taught you a thing or two about what's stupid to do versus what's smart to do."

"Probably not," Kol replied. "I liked having powers. Don't tell me you weren't glad as hell when Astrid gave you yours back."

"Oh, of course I was," Margot nodded. "I was thrilled! But you don't have much of a chance of keeping yours if you use them to do shady stuff."

"So true," Kol agreed. "But I enjoy that. What's the point in having powers if you don't use them? And using your powers for good things isn't half as fun as using them for bad."

"And now you know why you don't have yours anymore," Margot told him. "And I think the world is safer place because of it. I mean, not entirely because vampire you is still dangerous as hell, but a _little_ bit."

"And you're dangerous too, aren't you, Margot?" Kol asked, a wicked twinkle in his eye. "How about showing me a little magic right now?"

"All right," Margot nodded. "What are you thinking?"

"Well, this little exercise is to show if you trust me or not," Kol told her. "Shut your eyes and I'll tell you how to drive home."

"Okay," Margot nodded. "Are you sure you know the way?"

"Yes, of course," Kol nodded. "What do you think I am, an idiot?"

"All right, all right," Margot put up one hand. "I was just checking."

They began this little exercise after the next stoplight, with Margot shutting her eyes as instructed and listened to Kol's instructions while he put a hand on her thigh and squeezed.

As expected, there were a lot of unhappy motorists they encountered after many near misses, and instead of freaking her out, every incident filled Margot with more adrenaline and when they were parked in the garage, she opened her eyes again and Koll grabbed her and hugged her hard.

"You know, you did wonderfully," he complimented.

"I'm sure all the people shouting at us the whole way didn't think so," Margot said. "But who the hell cares about them? I feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment, even though what we just did wasn't magic. It was pure dumb luck, and a level of trust in you that some people would consider foolhardy. However, I accept the compliment, especially since the last witch you were truly close to was Grandma Mathilde and she put that spell on you that made you love no one but witches for the rest of time just before she cursed you to cause the witch you love to lose their powers. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Kol replied. "But you wrecked her plan, though. If it were what she had planned, you would have gotten upset about your lost powers and left me, leaving me heartbroken forever."

"Well, I have some enduring fondness for you that is worth more to me than my powers," Margot told him. "Cause you're a crazy, sexy man, and I love you."

"I love you too," Kol told her. "You wanna come inside with me so I can prove it?" He grinned.

"Sure," Margot sighed indulgently and smiled. "Why not?"

They then headed inside, and after giving each other one more kiss, they left messages on both their phones that they would be occupied for a while, so anyone who tried to call shouldn't expect an answer for them before heading to their room and locking the door behind them.

* * *

"So I don't understand," Malachai said when he found Victoria packing. "We're leaving here now?"

"Yes," Victoria told him. "The thing that brought us here is over. Well, not really. We came because my grandfather wanted to kill Kai and had the power to do it, but now he doesn't and he and my grandma have locked themselves in their room and been otherwise occupied, so I see no reason why we need to stay here anymore."

"Although we could, if you want to," Kai told him.

"And why would we do that?" Victoria asked. "How am I supposed to talk to anyone if we're here?"

"I gave you that phone thing for pretend Christmas and I brought it with us," Kai replied. "Can't we stay a few more days, please?"

Victoria sighed and zapped her clothes into the drawer again and told him, "Fine. Three more days. But after that, we leave."

Then Malachai let out a cry as the figure of Edele that Kai had zapped up came into the house again.

"Why the hell does that thing keep coming in here?" He shouted. _"Why?!"_

"Sorry," Kai apologized and sent the figure of Edele on its way. "Just a way of helping me deal with my anger toward my mother. I thought you could use it as well, which is why I didn't do anything to get rid of it. But I will, if you want me to."

Malachai shook his head. "Well, now that I know what it's for, I think I'll go ahead and use it. Thanks a lot. It's really clever."

"Thanks," Kai replied. "Glad I could help." He then went to see Victoria, who was standing by their dresser after finishing unpacking and after seeing the perturbed look on her face, said, "Did you really want to go home? Cause we can. I just…I love this place so much, and we both know what's waiting for us on the outside. Can you look me in the eye and tell me that there isn't at least a _small_ part of you that likes it better here?"

"Well," Victoria nodded. "Now that you mention it, I suppose there's a _small_ part. But remember: three days. Then we'll see what happens after."

"All right," Kai nodded. "That sounds fair."

They then heard a cry from one of the twins and found Finn and Molly sitting together in their play pen with Finn looking very distraught. Molly had taken hold of his bunny stuffed animal and was using her new and tiny teeth to bite its ear off.

"I wonder where she learned that," Kai said with good humor while Victoria looked absolutely sick.

"I was just showing them about hunting!" she cried. "I didn't think she'd actually imitate it!"

"She's Molly," Kai told her firmly. "She'll imitate anything you do, especially if it's naughty or causes people distress." He was about to remove Molly from the bed when Finn reached out and scratched her, then grabbed her hand, causing her to cry out. She lay on her side, one hand on her head.

"What do you think is happening to her?" Victoria asked in a panic. "Should we take her to the hospital?"

Kai went and got Malachai to see if he could tell them anything. "Let's try this," he said calmly, taking the rabbit from beside Molly and giving it back to Finn. When it was clear that he was happily involved with his toy, Molly stopped crying and was able to sit up again, although she still had tears in her eyes.

"Poor baby," Victoria said and picked up her daughter, cradling her protectively, the first time she'd felt that particular emotion for her daughter and not her son. "What do you think happened to you? Are you okay?"

"I think Finn hit her with some magic," Malachai told her. "Was she doing anything to make him unhappy?"

"Yeah, she had hold of his toy and wouldn't give it back," Kai said.

"Well, there you go," Malachai replied. "He got distressed and directed it at Molly and then once he was distracted, she was fine."

They waited a bit and then when Victoria tried to put Molly in the same room with Finn for their nap, for the first time, she acted apprehensive toward him. It was probably just a reaction that was temporary, but it still surprised Victoria and she decided to keep them in separate rooms.

"Do you think I should discipline Finn in some way?" She asked Kai. "Or better protect Molly?"

"Molly doesn't need to be protected," Kai told her firmly. "She can handle herself and I'm just glad Finn has it in him to protect himself from _her._ "

"But you know that with his unstable magic, he could unwittingly do something really bad to her, no matter how tough she is," Victoria reminded him. "We need to watch him. I can deal with _one_ unstable Parker, but I don't know if I could handle two."

"Well, aren't you sweet?" Kai smiled and took her into his lap to give her a kiss after downing the last bite of a meatloaf sandwich. "How nice of you to notice."

"I can't _not_ notice," Victoria told him. "You're kind of hard to avoid."

"Yeah, especially for someone as pretty as you," Kai smiled. "That's when I put in the most effort. And I really don't think we'll have to worry about Finn. Don't make yourself sick about it."

"All right," Victoria said. "I'll try not to."


	42. Expanding the World

"How are you feeling?" Amy asked Astrid. "I know you've had to be a lot tougher on people to keep your job at the Council."

"Not that anything was actually said about my losing it," Astrid replied. "Not completely, anyway. But there were grumblings, so I thought I would play the game for a bit, you know? Get everyone's confidence back before going back to my normal ways."

" _All_ your normal ways?" Klaus asked. "Even giving Kol magic?"

"I may be kind-hearted, but I'm not insane," Astrid smiled at him. "Your brother will _never_ get his powers back. At least not from _me,_ anyway. I hope the whole fiasco with his warlock friend taught him that powers aren't a thing to be messed with."

"Oh, I doubt it," Klaus told her. "Kol's a terrible learner. Even worse than me. Don't you think, Alistair?"

"Definitely," Alistair nodded as he remembered how Kol had taken up bank robbery and even rounded up a gang of vampires he'd created during the early thirties to help him out with that venture, and it had taken everything Alistair had in him to stop things from going horribly wrong.

"I feel a little better today, I guess," Astrid continued. "I was over at Daddy and Amanda's the other day and we had cookies that Selina made while he told me that what I was doing really wasn't so bad after all.

"Well, I just don't think it's worth making yourself sick over," Alistair told her, putting his arm around her and letting her rest her blonde head on his shoulder. "You realized your error, you're working to fix it, and that's all anyone can ask of you."

"I hope you're right," Astrid sighed. Then she looked at Klaus. "Speaking of Kol, have you heard from him or Margot since they got back from the hospital?"

"No, they've mostly just been spending time with each other and I think that's good for them," Klaus answered. "Cause sometimes I wonder about their suitability, I really do."

"What makes you say that?" Amy asked.

"It's nothing that's Margot's fault," Klaus told her quickly. "Kol's just never been much of a commitment person. Hell, it's what got him in trouble with your grandmother Mathilde in the first place, remember? Haven't you ever worried that your sister isn't getting the affection from my brother that she deserves?"

"Well, sometimes, yes," Amy nodded. "But ever since she ran off with my ex-fiance, I've realized that it's best to keep my nose out of Margot's business and let her make her own mistakes. If how our siblings' relationship is works for them, I really can't protest, can I?"

"No, I suppose you can't," Klaus agreed. Then he stood up. "Now if all of you will excuse me, I'm going to talk to my new friend Malachai. He's back in this dimension, you know."

He headed out and Astrid got out of her funk long enough to put a hand on her husband's arm. "What do you think of this new friendship of Klaus'?" She asked. "Do you feel like you're being replaced?"

Alistair heard this and burst into laughter. "Oh, good _lord_ no!" He told her. "I think it's great that Klaus' world of friends is expanding. Takes a lot of pressure off me, doesn't it?"

"That's what I hoped you'd say," Astrid smiled. "But I was just checking."

* * *

"So where the hell have you been?" Klaus asked Malachai as they chatted in Kai and Victoria's living room with Kai watching. "And why didn't you talk to me while you were gone?"

"I didn't know I could," Malachai told him. "I was in a place that didn't seem to have phone service."

"You've been to where we were," Kai added. "You know, the place that was supposed to be my own private space but then you and your brother broke in and kidnapped me?"

"Oh, yes, that place," Klaus nodded. "I know what you're talking about now. It seemed like a nice place from what I saw."

"Why did you feel the need to kidnap my nephew?" Malachai asked Klaus.

"It wasn't my idea," Klaus defended himself. "It was my stupid brother's doing. He's Victoria's grandfather, and he was a little…put off about Kai's attempts to get close to Victoria."

"Didn't approve of me," Kai told his uncle. "Thought Victoria could do better than a criminal. But was my being in jail really my fault? It was more my mother's than anything."

"Yeah," Malachai nodded. "Edele never gave you much of a chance, did she? I'm surprised your aunt Bridget did, though, after what you did to Sean, taking his powers and all."

"I know that was bad, but we've made up," Kai told him. "I've apologized."

"Well, good," Malachai replied. "That's good to hear. Speaking of Sean, I'm going with him to meet his girlfriend, Eva a few nights from now. That won't be an inconvenience for you and Victoria, would it? I know you like having my help with the twins."

"Oh, no, by all means go," Kai told him. "We managed without you before, so we can spare you for the night. You'll get a real kick out of Eva. If you remember what Sean is like, she's the _last_ person you'd think he'd be attracted to. She thinks I'm fascinating and dangerous."

"And I'm sure you like that," Malachai remarked dryly.

"Yes," Kai nodded. As a matter of fact, I do!" He paused. "I didn't know you and Sean were all that close."

"Well, I know I've always focused on you and have tried to give you the attention your mother refused to, but now I want to get to know your cousin a little better," Malachai informed him. "That doesn't bother you, does it?"

"Oh, no," Kai shook his head. "Although I can't guarantee you'll have as good a time with him as you do with me. But that's your choice. Enjoy your evening."

"All right," Malachai nodded. "Good to know. But it's still a few days away. It's not like it's tonight or anything."

It was then that Victoria came into the room and Klaus, who'd lapsed into silence during Malachai and Kai's conversation, found his voice.

"And how are you, Victoria? Is Kai treating you well?"

"Of course he is!" Victoria winked at her uncle. "I'd kick his ass if he didn't. And not in a way where he'd enjoy it, either. So in case you're thinking of beating on him again, there's no need."

"I think I could only get away with that once," Klaus assured her. "Your aunt Amy is on to me now and I don't think I can repeat the experience."

"Well, that's better for all of us in the long run, I think," Victoria told him. "For everyone." She then went and got Finn. "This guy is starting to show powers big time," she told Klaus. "Molly was giving him trouble and he fought back. That's assuring to me."

"Good boy," Klaus told him as he took him in his lap. "Good boy. Now that you seem to have your powers working, maybe you can get your mommy to help you with your vampire stuff next."

* * *

"Okay," Kai said as he sat in the living room of their house with Finn facing him in his lap, their faces close together. "Finny, tell me something: was what you did to Molly just an accident? Or could you do it again for Daddy if you wanted to?"

Finn just stared at him and gave him a smile, but other than that, didn't move.

"Oh, come on," Kai told him. "You were doing so well! Can't you give me just a little something? Please?"

"What are you doing?" Victoria asked.

"I'm trying to see if I can get Finn to repeat what it did to Molly," Kai told her, a smile on his lips. "Not the same thing, of course, but that same show of power."

"It won't work," Victoria told him. "It happened to Molly because Molly had worked him up. Now he's calm and it's good. Don't you go pissing him off on purpose. Do you understand?"

"Of course I do!" Kai told her. "I wouldn't do that to him just for my own amusement! And I was thinking about what your grandfather said. You want me to continue working on his vampire powers? Or do you want to do that since you're already showing them the basics of hunting?"

"Here's what I think," Victoria told him. "Since it's hard to teach both kids that stuff at the same time, one of us can take charge of teaching Molly and the other can take Finn. Which one do you want?"

"I'll take Finn, you take Molly," Kai said. "Or do you think I should take Molly?"

"No, I think it wouldn't hurt us to bond with the twin we don't usually work with," Victoria replied. "I can handle Molly, even if it's more difficult. I know I can."


	43. New Playmates

"How was your time with Sean?" Kai asked his uncle. "Were you bored to tears? Isn't it nice to be back with Victoria and me because we're _so_ much more interesting?"

"I like visiting everyone," Malachai replied affably. "Sean's friend Christine has this daughter with adorable big brown eyes and I just love her. She's like Molly, except more sedate. It would be nice for the two to meet, I think. Sarah could be a good influence on her."

"I don't know about that," Kai replied. "Molly doesn't make friends with just anyone. Especially if you're just a nice, good-natured type, or she's forced to feel like she's bonding with someone."

"Kai!" Victoria called from the twins' bedroom, where she was changing Molly's diaper. "Come here, would you?" She paused and then said, "Wait a minute. I have an idea. Never mind." She got a bottle full of blood and put a little chocolate syrup in it, hoping she could use the sweet concoction as a bribe for her daughter. Sure enough, as Molly drank from the bottle, she relaxed and finally allowed her mother to change her and dress her in new clothes. Victoria was somewhat ashamed, but more than that, just glad that she and Molly were getting somewhere.

"See?" Kai said to Malachai when Victoria and Molly emerged. "Molly doesn't work well with forced bonding."

"No," Victoria replied and kissed her daughter who continued to drink the sweetened blood as they strode up to Kai. "We're good."

"What's that you've given her?" Kai asked

"Well, it's obviously blood, isn't it?" Victoria asked. "I don't know why you have to ask. Molly was the one who took to it more than Finny, so it's no surprise she's really enjoying herself."

"Yes, I guess you're right," Kai nodded and then turned to his uncle. "Do you _really_ think it would be good for Molly to meet this Sarah girl? I hope she's strong enough to handle her."

"I think it would be a good idea," Malachai reiterated. "And of course she's strong enough to handle her. Sarah is a hybrid at least, just like Molly is, so it should be fine."

"Well, it's settled then," Victoria said firmly. "I'll have Sarah meet this girl, and I'll see if I can bring Finny along too. It wouldn't hurt him to be around people who don't attack him every five minutes."

"I really have doubts about how successful this will be," Kai told her. "But if you want to do it, be my guest."

"I will," Victoria told him. "And in the meantime, why don't you go and see Adrian? I'm sure he'll be glad to know you're back."

"You know, you're right," Kai nodded and headed over to the phone to call his friend. "I think I _will_ do that."

* * *

But the time at Adrian's was not as fun as usual because Liam and Mary were also visiting. Not that Mary had much of a problem with Kai anymore. But Liam…he was another story.

"You know my grandmother's job at the council is at risk because of you," he spat at Kai after stopping him on his way to see Adrian. "Think about that. If you were any sort of decent person, you'd admit all the stuff you've done wrong while she let you out because of her good heart and then come back to jail to pay for it."

"I've done nothing wrong," Kai said. "At least nothing you wouldn't also do if you were in my position. So I apologize for nothing. And while I'm grateful to Astrid for giving me a chance while not many other people would (not even my own mother) it was her own choices that got her in the trouble she's in. I know you hate the idea of losing your cushy job, so you want to place blame other places than where it actually belongs, but that's wrong and you know it. Now, I'm not going to continue this fight because I just came to have a nice visit with my friend Adrian and not start trouble with you."

"Liam, just let it go," Mary urged. "You've made your point now let's move on to more pleasant conversation."

"Fine," Liam replied, his blue eyes narrowed at his adversary. "Of course, Mary. Whatever you say."

He let Kai go then and Kai finally made his way to the basement where Adrian was hanging out on one side of a Foosball table and waiting for Kai to join him.

"What kept you?" He wanted to know as Kai reached the other side of the table and took his players in hand.

"I was being interrogated by Liam and blamed for every problem your mother-in-law is having with the Council, if you must know," Kai told him as he hit the ball that Adrian sent flying towards him. "You could have told me that he was visiting before I came over."

"Sorry about that," Adrian apologized with a grunt as he hit it back in Kai's direction. "I thought that since it would be just you and I hanging out, you wouldn't see him enough for it to matter, but I guess I was wrong."

"Yeah," Kai grunted and sent the ball into Adrian's goal. "You were, but I forgive you. And look at that, I got a point."

Adrian scoffed. "I just gave it to you out of pity," he said.

"Oh, don't give me that," Kai replied. "I won, you lost. Deal with it so we can go to the next point."

They stayed down in the basement, playing until Helene came downstairs to announce that Liam had left and it was only Mary who sat in the living room. "I figured that's why you wouldn't come up," she told Kai. "But it's all right now, I promise."

"Thanks," Kai told her. "Do you feel as strongly as your son does about what's going on with your mother being my fault?"

"No," Helene shook her head. "I don't. I think that her actions with you were part of what got her in trouble, but they were all her choice. It wasn't like you made her let you out, right?"

"Right," Kai nodded. "Exactly."

As they headed upstairs, Helene asked Kai, "So…how are the twins?"

"Good," Kai told her. "Victoria's trying to get them to meet with the kid of a friend of hers so they can be better socialized, but I don't know how well that will work. I mean, I can see Finn handling it fine, but Molly…not so much."

"Really?" Mary asked in surprise. "Not to eavesdrop, but that surprises me. Every time I've sent Junior over to stay with Sean and Eva, he and Molly have gotten along really well, at least according to Eva."

"Well, of course, because Junior is a boy, and Molly seems particularly interested in male attention, but she doesn't seem to get along well with other girls, even her own mother. So we'll see."

"Yeah," Mary nodded. "I guess we will."

* * *

Through Eva, who was friends with them both, Victoria and Christine met, and introduced their daughters, as well as Finn, who Victoria, as she'd said before, thought could use a friend too.

Sarah, as Christine had guessed, was trying to be affable because that's just the sort of person she was. Molly put up with her efforts not because she truly wanted to be friends, but because Sarah had a lot of fun toys to play with and Molly had figured out that the way to get to those toys was to be nice to Sarah.

If Molly wasn't receptive to the plan to make friends, Finn was. Finn and Sarah played together nicely and when Molly wouldn't give one of the toys back, it turned into a big fight between the twins. Then suddenly, Molly backed off. She must've recognized the look on Finn's face being one that came before a magical onslaught, so she just handed the toy over and crawled away to play on her own.

"Sorry about Molly," Victoria apologized to Christine. "She's not really a people person."

"Oh, well," Christine shrugged. "At least Finn and Sarah seem to like each other."

"Yes, and thank goodness too, cause I think that if anyone can use a friend, it's my Finny," Victoria said and kissed his hair.

"I don't see why it would be so hard for him to make friends," Christine remarked. "He seems so adorable and good-natured."

"And he is," Victoria assured her. "But something happened when I was pregnant with him that really screwed up his magic, so he doesn't have many powers of his own, and to supplement them, Kai sort of…well, he sort of took some from someone else he thought was less deserving and gave them to Finny. And I have a feeling that's not going to endear him to a lot of people later in life, especially those who are in charge of the law."

"Well, when you're a parent, you do what you have to do, I guess," Christine told her as she watched Sarah and Finn play with each other. "I think that no matter what happens to him when he's older, Sarah will always be in his corner."

"Oh, I hope so," Victoria replied. "It makes me feel really good to think that that's gonna be true. It really does."


	44. Behind The Pretty Face

"So glad you're back and that my dad seems to be under control!" Regina told Victoria as Declan gave her a hug. "Have you heard from him lately?"

"No," Victoria shook her head. "I think Grandma is either keeping him busy or making it so he doesn't call and cause more trouble. Sorry we didn't call you sooner to tell you we were back home."

"Are you really?" Declan asked, although his tone was light. "It seems like now that you're married, you've forgotten all about us!"

"That's not really my intention, I _swear_!" Victoria replied. "And I'm sorry that you think so. I've just been so busy worrying about Grandpa and Kai, and then we had to go into hiding and his uncle came to visit and it's just…it's been so crazy."

"You have an uncle?" Regina asked Kai. "Is he creepy like your mom?"

"No, in fact I hate his mother as much as anyone else on this earth," Malachai replied, sliding into the room with Molly in his arms and coming up to Regina. "I'm Malachai McCullough. Who might you two be?"

"These are Victoria's parents, Declan and Regina," Kai explained. "They came to see the twins. Are you going to see Klaus?"

"No," Malachai shook his head and kissed Molly's dark head. "Why would I do that when I have two new people to meet?"

"Well, I suppose that's as good an answer as any," Kai shrugged.

Then Finn began floating in the air, one of the most common early magic manifestations. "Look at that," Declan said in amazement as he went to catch him. "I thought you said he didn't have much power, Victoria."

"Well, apparently we were wrong and I'm really glad about it," Victoria replied with a smile.

"After all the trouble you went through, me too," Declan told her.

But it didn't take long for Molly to realize she was being upstaged. Malachai was surprised (and a little hurt, if he was being totally honest), to see her look over at her brother surrounded by people, then leave Malachai's arms to get in on the action.

When she was facing both Declan and Regina, Molly made a noise and soon her teddy bear (which her mother was holding) flew in her direction, but with a little too much force. It hit her in the face and she burst into tears, causing the adults who had been fawning over Finn to come and cluster around her, taking her in their laps, kissing her, wiping away her tears and telling her everything would be okay.

"You're lucky it was just a bear that hit you in the face and that you weren't interested in, say, one of your rattles or something," Regina told her. "That would really hurt if it hit you in the face."

"She seems much happier now, have you noticed?" Declan asked his daughter.

"Of course she is," Victoria replied, taking Finn in her lap. "She can't stand someone else being the center of attention for more than five seconds. It's just how she is. She probably got it from her father."

"What?" Kai asked. "Me? What makes you think that?"

"Well, think of the extremes you went to to get attention," Victoria reminded him. "Not that I blame you, but it's still there."

"I don't know if it's entirely fair to blame him alone," Declan told his daughter. "You a lot of attention-seeking behavior of your own when you were a little one."

"Embarrassing stories about Victoria?" Kai asked, perking up. "Do tell."

"No, that's not necessary," Victoria replied quickly. "Please don't."

"I won't," Declan promised his daughter. "I wouldn't do that to you. Although why you felt like you needed to push us to give you attention when you were an only child is beyond me."

"Not even one story?" Kai asked. "Come on, please?"

"Now Kai, be nice," Malachai warned. "Alienating your wife might not be the best idea."

"Oh, the stories can't be that bad," Kai told him. Then he turned to Victoria. "Are they really?"

"If you want to hear them so bad, I'll tell them to you in private," Victoria promised, and then they went back to conversing with Malachai and her parents.

* * *

This was not a promise Kai forgot and when they were lying in bed that night (with Ginger the dog at the foot of the bed cause with their magic going full force, she seemed to want to take a break from the twins) that was when he asked her for the stories again.

"I'm only telling you one," Victoria replied. "You know my parents spent a lot of time having their fun. Not enough that I was neglected, of course, but I learned the important skill of playing by myself sometimes.

"Well, beginning when I was about three years old, I got smart enough to realize that mommy and daddy went somewhere when they left me alone. One day, I followed them and they were so into each other that they didn't notice. The door to the room was ajar and I stood just outside it and watched what they were doing for a few minutes before I got bored and ran off. And it was when Mom was playing dolls with me the next day and I had Ken tied up and Barbie hitting him that she realized what I had seen. The look on her face when she asked me what I was doing and I responded, 'They're playing a game like you and Daddy do!' was just priceless."

"Well, damn," Kai said in amazement. "No wonder you were able to be so bossy and controlling when you were only twelve. By then you'd had almost ten years of experience."

"Yep," Victoria nodded. "I have to hand it to my mom. Her commitment must've been really strong to keep going with that once she knew that I understood what was going on enough to repeat it. Of course, she locked the play room door after that and made me swear that I wouldn't say anything to Grandma and Grandpa, and that must've been good enough for her."

"And what did you dad think about you finding out what they were doing?" Kai asked.

"Oh, he thought it was hilarious," Victoria replied. "She told me that when she said something to him, he laughed so hard he started crying and stopped breathing for a few seconds."

"Are you worried about the day when Finn and Molly figure out what we do?" Kai asked.

"No," Victoria shook her head. "Not really. We have nothing to be embarrassed about, and if we treat it like something that's normal, they will too. So now that you know that story, can you let the rest of them go?"

"Oh, I suppose," Kai replied. "Cause nothing can really top that one."

"No," Victoria shook her head as he took her in his arms. "It really can't."

* * *

Although Kai had been really good about not hurting the neighbors since they'd acquired Ginger, soon, he started misbehaving again.

"Can you help me bury a couple of bodies?" He asked Victoria the weekend of her parents' visit as she and Finn played in his room.

"Why would you need me to help you bury bodies?" She asked. "What have you done?" Then she noticed he had Girl Scout cookies in his hand. "Good!" She said. "The ones I ordered came!" Then, her expression darkened. "I hope you paid those poor little girls."

"Three dollars a box, Victoria!" Kai yelled, looking pained. " _Three dollars a box_! It's freaking robbery is what it is!"

"You killed them for less than twenty dollars' worth of cookies?" Victoria asked, her jaw dropping a little. "No! That's bad!"

"Why are you acting so shocked?" Kai smiled. "You know I'm like this!"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I have to like it!" Victoria replied. "How often are you going to do this?"

"As often as I like," Kai replied and brazenly ate another cookie. "And you not liking it is your problem, not mine. Oh, and don't worry. I can bury the bodies myself. I wouldn't want someone as holier than thou as you to have to deal with it."

But because he needed company, he put Molly in her baby seat and took her outside so she could watch him dig the grave and bury the bodies.

"Let this be a lesson to you, Miss Molly," he told her. "Your mother will tell you that letting people step all over you is the right thing to do, and that killing people is wrong, but sometimes, people just deserve it. You've been given all this power, you might as well do something with it. No sense in letting it just go to waste because you wanna look good in someone's eyes. If a person can't accept you for who you are, bad side and good side, they aren't really worth being around, are they?"

Having finished the hole, he then zapped the bodies in and covered it with his magic before picking Molly up, kissing her hair, and carrying her into the house, stopping by Finn's room to tell Victoria where he'd buried the girls in case she wanted to say a few last words over them or something.

* * *

"Don't you think you should give Kai a chance?" Regina asked her father. "We were over at Victoria's the other day and we had a very pleasant time. His uncle is visiting and he's quite the charmer."

"How many times have you asked me that?" Kai asked his daughter impatiently. "Several times now. And every time I've given you the same answer. You can't force these things. Give up."

"If you knew that Uncle Klaus liked Malachai, would you be willing to give him a chance?" Regina wanted to know.

"Just because your uncle likes someone, doesn't mean I will," Kol replied tersely.

"So you're just gonna sit here and not be friends with anyone cause you're a stubborn ass?" Regina clarified. "Is that it?"

"Well, I wouldn't quite phrase it that way, young lady, but who I associate with is my business, not yours," Kai told her. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some hunting to do."

* * *

After the hunting was over, Kol headed to Klaus and Amy's and asked Klaus for his opinion on Malachai.

"Is he good?" Kol asked. "Or at least worth being friends with?"

"Yes," Klaus said immediately. "I think he's just great! Nothing like his upstart nephew at all!"

"Fine, then I might consider meeting him," Kol said. "But don't tell my daughter that, cause she'd rub it in my face if she knew."

"Knew what?" Amy asked, coming downstairs where Kol and Klaus were hanging out. "What are you boys talking about?"

"How great Malachai is," Klaus replied. "Don't you think he's great too?"

"Sure, he's a good guy," Amy nodded. "But don't tell Alistair. He might get his feelings hurt."

"No, he won't," Klaus shook his head. "Alistair knows what he means to me. Besides, with all that's going on with Astrid, he's probably grateful I found someone else to spend time with."

"Well, I know _I'm_ glad you're making new friends," Amy said and came to kiss him while Kol rolled his eyes. "I'm very proud of you."

"What are you rolling your eyes for?" Klaus asked Kol. "You want someone to kiss you, go home to your own wife. I'm sure Margot would be more than happy to."

"So you want me to leave?" Kol asked, standing up. "Is that it?"

"Well, no, but if you want affection, you know where you can get it," Klaus replied.

"I actually don't even have to go home," Kol remarked. He then shut his eyes and thought real hard about Margot. The next thing he heard was a shriek, which made him open his eyes and start laughing. Apparently, he'd called Margot to him when she was in the middle of a bubble bath and now she stood in the middle of the basement, her body shivering, wet, and goosebump-covered as bubbles drifted to the floor.

"What is it that you want?" She asked irritably. "Can't you see that I'm not fit to be around people?"

"Well, don't get mad at me," Kol told her, a twinkle in his eye as she zapped a towel around herself and he pulled her into his lap. " _I_ didn't know you were in the bath."

"Oh, I bet you did," Margot said. "You only did this to annoy me."

But she kissed him anyway and soon it was _Klaus_ who was looking at _Kol_ in disgust. "What do you say we leave here?" He asked Amy. "Clearly my brother has no need to talk to _us_ anymore."

"I agree," Amy nodded as Margot's towel came off and she straddled Kol who had just unzipped his pants. "And I'm glad I'm not particularly attached to that chair." They then went upstairs and spent time in bed until Astrid called, asking for Amy's help with yet another thing for the Council.

"Astrid wants your help _again_?" Klaus asked as she dressed. "Why?"

"I don't know," Amy shrugged. "Maybe I have a trustworthy face and am helping people get faith in her again after her upset. Who knows?"

"You do have a lovely face," Klaus told her and kissed her one more time before she left. "I know I like it. And your body too."

"You're too kind," Amy told him. "I'll be back soon and then we can go hunting, all right? I had a blood bag this morning, but it doesn't feel like that was enough."

"Wonderful," Klaus told her. "I can't wait!"


	45. She's The Boss

"How have things been going at work since you decided to bring the hammer down?" Alistair asked Astrid during a phone call over her lunch break. "Better? Have people started showing loyalty to you again?"

"Yeah," Astrid sighed. "But it…it still doesn't feel right."

"You mean you feel you should have let Kol keep his powers and get off without any sort of punishment?" Alistair asked, eyebrow raised as he leaned back against the kitchen table, even though she couldn't see him. "That doesn't seem like you."

"Well, all right," Astrid conceded. "I don't feel bad about Kol at all. He can be worse than Klaus when he wants to be and someone has to take a stand against him. But there are other things…other situations where I think the punishment on the books needs to be changed."

"Who says you can't change it then?" Alistair asked. "You could at least give it a try."

"I will eventually," Astrid nodded. "Now is not the right time, though."

It was then that her secretary knocked and came in. "The new interns are here," she said. "Would you like to meet them?"

"Sure," Astrid nodded and said goodbye to her husband. The new interns were brought in and when Astrid saw them, she froze. They were none other than the boys who'd brought Andrew and Amelia back from the dead. She quickly turned away to get her composure, and then turned back to them with a smile on her face. "Hello, boys," she said. "Come and sit with me so we can talk."

"Are we making you nervous?" The blond one asked. His eyes weren't as sunken as they'd once been and he'd gotten a little more color in his complexion than when she'd seen him last. His name was Steve, if she remembered correctly, and he'd been the ringleader of the whole resurrection plot.

"No, Steve, you aren't," She told him. "But I'm a little surprised to see you here, honestly. I had no idea you were interested in doing anything with the government."

"Well, in my case, it was more my parents' idea than my own," Steve told her. "As you can imagine, they weren't pleased with the whole resurrection thing that I did and thought that if I got into government stuff, I would be using my powers for good and not evil. You know what I mean?"

"I do, but I have to wonder if that's really the path you'll be following," Astrid told him dryly. "Will you do your best to help us with our goals, or will you just make trouble? I want to have that made clear right now, because if all you're going to do is mess around, I think I'll be asking someone else to take your place."

"All of us?" The nervous boy with the dark hair and big eyes asked. "Please don't throw me out! I _want_ to be here!"

"Well, if you want to be here, of course you won't be tossed out," Astrid assured him. "I only will replace people who don't seem to do me any good." She leaned closer to him. "What's your name?" She asked.

"His name is Percy," Steve told her.

"Just a minute," Astrid remonstrated. "Why don't you let _him_ talk? He was the one I was addressing, after all. Not you."

As Steve leaned back scowling, the sight of his friend being scolded must've given Percy some courage because he smiled and said to Astrid, "My name is Percy, Ms. Fale. And what we did with the bodies…it wasn't my idea, I _swear_."

"I believe you, don't worry," Astrid assured him. Then she looked at the red-haired boy who had so far remained silent. "And you?" She asked. "What's your name?"

"John," he said reluctantly after a few minutes of stony silence.

"Well, hello, John, Percy, and Steve," Astrid told them. "I hope you make the best of your time here. Cause I have a feeling you all are quite bright and we could always use bright, skilled people here."

"Even if they aren't your relatives?" Steve burst out. "Wow, how nice."

"I'm gonna send you down to James," Astrid told him, her eyes narrowed. "I think you two could be a good help to each other."

"Really?" Steve asked. "Who's that?"

"He's Mr. Black to you," Astrid replied gleefully, making Steve freeze, the smirk disappearing from his face, his eyes filling with fear that he didn't want her to see. "Did you ever have nightmares about him, Steve?"

"I'm sorry," he apologized quickly. "Can't I be with someone else?"

"Nope!" Astrid shook her head and called for her secretary to come take Steve down to James' offices, giggling to herself because he looked like he was going to pass out from fear.

"All right," she said, sitting back down in her desk chair once he'd gone and looking placidly at Percy and John. "Where should I put the two of you?"

"You can put me anywhere," Percy squeaked, trying to calm his ragged breathing. "I really don't mind."

"Don't you worry," Astrid assured him. "I'll find a good place to stick you." She thought a moment and then quickly remembered that Clarence had specifically requested he needed someone to help with sorting his files and making decisions about the couples. "You think you'd like to go be with Clarence?" She asked Percy.

"You mean the love guy?" Percy got out. "I think I'd like that very much. He's not scary, is he?"

"No," Astrid assured him. "Of course not. I think you'll like him."

Then, when Percy was gone, she looked at John. "And what about you? Any thoughts?"

"Just something that's not boring," John said. "I mean, I know we get to skip school and get credit for the internship, but I don't just want to sit around in an office."

"You know, I think working with my grandson might just be perfect for you, then," Astrid smiled at him. "He gets to go on trips and run around outside catching dangerous and mysterious creatures so that we can learn about them. Would that interest you?"

"Yes," John nodded. "I think it would, thanks."

"Well, good," Astrid smiled. "Let's get you to Liam's office, then."

* * *

"So…good day at work?" Alistair asked her when she got home that night and he handed her a glass of red wine as she walked through the door and gave her a kiss.

"I thought it was going to be a bad day," Astrid confessed. "But then it turned out to be not so bad."

"Yeah, Liam told us you sent him an intern," Helene said from the sofa where she was also drinking wine. "Apparently, they're getting along swimmingly."

"Well, good," Astrid smiled as she sat down next to her brunette daughter. "I was a little worried about what Liam would say even though everyone at the office knew that there was a possibility that they might get sent an intern based on what the best fit would be for the kids themselves, so I'm glad it's working out. And these were the same boys that brought Selina's mother and uncle back, so while I have a feeling they're under control, I'm still a little worried."

"I understand where you're coming from," Helene told her, putting a hand on her mother's arm, her dark eyes warm and comforting to Astrid, just like her husband's, whose looks their daughter shared. "But don't let it eat you up if there's nothing to worry about. And if there is, we'll deal with it when we come to it."

"That is a very wise sentiment," Astrid told her. "When did you learn that?"

"It just comes naturally with being married to someone like Adrian," Helene told her as they heard Alistair snort from the kitchen over the cheese and meat platter he was cutting up as an appetizer. "If I spent every moment of my life worrying about what trouble Adrian _might_ get into, do you know how insane I would be? Especially since he's friends with Kai now."

"Klaus is like that too, and look at me," Alistair added to his wife.

"Well, it's easier for you," Astrid told him. "Seeing as how Amy is doing most of the work with Klaus now."

"Well, yes, but I get called in when things get _really_ bad, so there's still some stress involved," Alistair reminded her as he finished cutting things up and came to set the try down. "Sorry if it's all a little ragged," he apologized. "I decided to challenge myself and cut it all the difficult way."

"It's all right," Helene told him as she picked up a piece of cheese. "It's all gonna be digested anyway."

"Good point," Alistair replied and took a seat between them. "Now we wait a bit and then I shall start with the pasta."

"I'll do that," Helene told him, standing up. "You made the appetizer. I insist. Don't fight me on this."

"All right, I won't," Alistair agreed since she sounded so much like her mother. "You can pick the sauce then, since you're doing the work."

Helene went to the stove and began boiling water and dumped the pasta in, then stuck a spoon in the pot and used her magic to stir it. "I hope you don't mind leftovers," she told her parents. "I'm so used to cooking for guys who eat a ton that I'm making big portions out of habit."

"No, leftovers are fine," Alistair told her. "Speaking of guys who eat a ton, are Adrian and Kai together tonight? Is that why you're staying with us here?"

"No, Adrian is with Lenora and James tonight because he wanted to hear about James' new intern," Helene replied. "And Kai…I don't know about Kai. But I bet he'll want to see Adrian after whatever he's going through now. According to him, Kol's still having trouble accepting him, and every time they're in the same room, it's a nightmare. Although now that his uncle is visiting, things have gotten a little better."

"Kai has an uncle?" Alistair asked.

"Yep," Helene nodded. "Edele's stepbrother, Malachai, senior." She paused and said to her mother, "He's some sort of adventurer. Have you heard of him?"

"As a matter of fact, I have," Astrid replied. "If you ever see him, let him know that I need to talk to him. I know he gives to the sperm bank at the magical hospital, but one of his samples got put in the human supply. Thank goodness it was a supernatural couple that got it."

"Yeah, sure," Helene nodded. "Of course I'll do that when I get the chance."

"Thank you," Astrid told her. "I appreciate it."

* * *

"So _you're_ the one who doesn't like my nephew," Malachai said to Kol as he, Kol, and Klaus sat together in Kai and Victoria's living room.

"I have my reasons," Kol defended himself. "He kidnapped my granddaughter!"

"Really?" Malachai sighed and called for his nephew.

"What?" Kai asked.

"Did you kidnap Victoria?" He asked. "Is that how she's here in the first place?"

"Well, technically I _did_ kidnap her, I suppose, but…she _wants_ to be here now!" Kai replied. "The only one who thinks she doesn't is Kol!"

"Oh, is that so?" Kol asked and called for Victoria.

"What now, Grandpa?" Victoria sighed. She'd been attempting to bond with Molly while Malachai was otherwise occupied and it was making her short of temper.

"Do you like being with Kai?" Kol asked. "Or would you say he dragged you here against your will and you hate it?"

"Well, I like it," Victoria replied. "Granted some of his behavior is not my cup of tea, but I suppose, given alternatives, it's not so bad. It's nothing I'm not already used to, thank you very much."

"You're welcome," Kol replied. "And you know I only surround you with that sort of behavior so that you learn to live up to your potential and it's not all wasted."

" _Mom and Dad_ didn't even be that dark around me," Victoria pointed out. "The most Mom ever did was the stuff with hunting."

"As I recall though, you were an unruly child," Kol pointed out. "You didn't always have this good girl attitude."

"Well, now I can't afford to have anything else," Victoria replied and looked at Kai. "I'm living with some very impressionable people, if you don't remember. But then again, no matter how hard I try, it doesn't seem to be working."

"What exactly does that mean?" Malachai asked. "Did he do something to you?"

"Not to _me_ ," Victoria shook her head. "But to other people. Other innocent people who didn't deserve it. Now, I'm not going to tell on him, but…I just really don't approve." She strode off then and Malachai gave him a more understanding look while Kol stared daggers at him and then got up to follow his granddaughter.

"All right, let me have it," Kai said to his uncle. "Tell me how bad I am."

"Well, it won't do much good, will it?" Malachai asked matter-of-factly. "If a good woman who loves you can't stop you from changing for good, what makes you think _I_ can? Besides…we've all done things that are bad to someone. Even me."

"Oh?" Kai asked, eyebrow arching upward. "And just what is it that you've done?"

"I don't want to tell you now," Malachai replied evasively. "But I'm sure you'll find out in due time."


	46. A Matter Of Some Urgency

"Are you all right?" Kai asked when Victoria slipped away in a huff after watching Molly and Malachai play. "Is it me again?"

"No, it's _not_ you!" She told him irritably and pulled at a loose thread in the comforter on the bed. "Not everything I get pissed about has to do with you! Why the hell doesn't Molly like me? She'll beg for attention from everything else, but me…she looks at me and all she's thinking is 'You suck, Mom. I don't need you at all!'"

"Molly?" Kai said as he came to sit beside her and put his arm around her. "Maybe she senses that you're angry around her and feels like you're no fun. But just wait, she'll get over it. I did, right?"

"Yeah," Victoria nodded. "I guess…I guess you did."

"You know what I think, Vicky?" Kai asked.

"What?" Victoria wanted to know.

"I think you and I should go hunting." He smiled. "It could help you with the rage."

"Okay," Victoria nodded, her face determined. "Let's go."

They left the bedroom and told Malachai where they were going.

"All right," he said agreeably and tickled Molly's stomach, which made her giggle. "I'll just be here watching these two. Stay out as long as you want. There's really no rush."

"Well, good," Kai told him. "Cause I think Vicky has a lot of rage she needs to work off."

"Just what have you done to her anyway?" Malachai asked him, eyebrow raised.

"Ha, this time it's not about me," Kai told him. "It's about Molly's refusal to bond with her."

"Ah," Malachai nodded. "All right. You two enjoy your hunting."

* * *

So Kai and Victoria left for what Kai was sure would be a dull hunting evening, with him doing all the killing while Victoria complained alongside him. But to his surprise, she was even more into it then he was, taking down a large man who came to help them with a car accident that she'd had the idea to fake, and beating him until he was barely alive and then biting into his neck.

"Want some?" She asked as she brought her head up to look at him, blood all over her mouth.

"No, thanks," Kai replied. "You take it all. I'll get one of my own."

"All right," Victoria nodded. "You do that. But don't say I didn't offer."

Kai then watched her eat for a bit before finally going to catch someone himself. When they were both full of blood, they made the bodies vanish and then took a walk for an hour or so before heading home.

When they got inside, Malachai was still playing with Molly and Finn who, to Victoria and Kai's amazement, seemed to be getting along, or at least not bothering each other.

"Are you some sort of genius?" Victoria asked Malachai. "How is it that you got our children to get along?"

"You just have to do things that will amuse them both at once," Malachai replied and did a magic trick involving making a quarter disappear. "And now they're so stunned by what I'm doing that they totally forget that they're sitting by each other that they don't fight."

"You know, that is a really obvious solution," Victoria told him and sat down. "I can't believe I didn't think of it before."

"It's nothing, really," Malachai told her.

"Yes, it is," Victoria nodded. "It's a really big thing. I'm glad we invited you to stay."

"I'm glad you did too," Malachai told her. "And very grateful, too. It's nice to be part of a family again."

After a few minutes, Kai told him, "I know you've been watching the kids all day, so if there's something you'd rather be doing, like having a few minutes to yourself, you can go ahead and take it. You more than deserve it by now."

"Well, thanks," Malachai told him. "I think I might go take a shower and then watch a movie that I taped."

"Enjoy," Victoria smiled.

But as he got up, Molly let out a shriek and tried to follow him as fast as she could crawl.

"No, Molly," Kai told her as he grabbed her by the legs and gently dragged her away before putting her on his lap. "We have to let Uncle Malachai have time to himself. Now you can stay with me and your mother, all right?"

Molly pouted for a little bit as Victoria grabbed Finn and took him in her lap. She then opened her mouth to let out a loud wail, but Kai stalled it by doing the same sort of trick that his uncle had done, making little things appear and disappear right in front of her eyes. She was stunned enough that she forgot to be upset and instead cuddled with her father, giving both Malachai and her parents some time in silence and peace.

* * *

The peace didn't last for very long, though. A few days later, Victoria was bringing the mail in and plunked a letter down in front of Malachai at the breakfast table.

"What have you got there?" Kai asked.

"I don't know," Malachai replied and picked it up, tearing it open. "But it says 'urgent'. That's either really good or really bad." He then read the letter and paled.

"I guess it was really bad?" Kai guessed.

"Astrid wants me to come and talk to her," Malachai replied. "I don't think I'm in a lot of trouble (or at least I hope I'm not) but it just says she needs to have a word with me about something."

"Well, if you get arrested, make sure we're your phone call and we'll come and bail you out," Kai promised."

"Thank you," Malachai told him dryly. "I appreciate that." He sounded like he was still in okay spirits, but he pushed his breakfast away and stood up. "I'm gonna…I'm gonna go out for a bit. Drive around, and clear my head. I'll be back in a little while."

"Sure," Victoria nodded. "Whatever you need. We'll get this thing sorted out with Astrid. I promise."

"Thank you," Malachai told her, picking the envelope with Astrid's summons in it off the breakfast table, stuffing it in his pocket, and then heading out to the car he'd zapped up so he wouldn't always have to steal Kai's or Victoria's. He sat in the driver's seat with his hands gripping the wheel until his knuckles turned white, took a few deep breaths, then pulled the key out of his pants pocket, started the car, and drove to Klaus', cause he needed a friend, and somehow he knew that Klaus would understand what he was going through.

* * *

"Want a drink?" Klaus asked as Malachai strode in the door clutching an envelope that had already been torn open, a worried look on his face.

"Yes," he nodded. "Please. In the biggest cup you have. I don't care what it is."

"Well, what's happened?" Klaus asked, getting it and plunking it down in front of him, then watching in amusement as he guzzled it down. "Anything I can help you with?"

"How good are you at dealing with people?" Malachai asked. "Is it true you can use your vampire powers to change people's minds about things? Cause I got this note from Astrid. She says she wants to speak to me about something, and I know what that something is, but it's very important. Can you do anything to make her forget it's a problem?"

"Not as such, no," Klaus shook his head. "But I suppose I could ask Amy to talk with her. Just what's so important that you need that sort of help?"

"I gave my sperm to a human sperm bank," he told Klaus. "Since it's mine, the resulting child is a witch. I've met her. She's a sweet little girl. And I can't be taken away from her now and be put in jail which is what will happen if no one convinces Astrid otherwise. It's too early. Okay?"

"All right," Klaus nodded. "I'll ask Amy to talk to Astrid before you do."

"Astrid has apparently sent Malachai a remonstrative missive," Klaus told Amy. "You're her friend now. Can't you go talk to her and try to convince her not to arrest him and throw him in jail?"

"I'm sure that whatever she's chiding him for, he deserves it," Amy said. "I know he's your friend, but I can't just use my friendship with Astrid to help people break the law. It would be wrong! Besides, that's the sort of image she's trying to get away from. Have you seen the letter? Do you know that it's talking about arresting him for something?"

"No, but that's how he interprets it," Klaus replied.

"Well, maybe she doesn't want to arrest him then," Amy replied. "Maybe all she's planning to do is give him a warning and make him promise that he'll never repeat what he did again, and that's it. He'll have to talk to her to find out."

"All right," Klaus huffed.

"Don't you look at me that way, you!" Amy told him. "Not everyone in the world can be as morally flexible as you are. If you want to help him break the law or whatever, go ahead. I know I won't be able to stop you, but I won't have any part in it."

"Fine," Klaus said. "I will."

* * *

So Klaus accompanied Malachai to Astrid's office and when Astrid saw him, she sighed. "Even if I asked, you wouldn't leave so this could be a private conversation between me and Malachai, would you?" She wanted to know.

"Well, I don't want you to arrest my friend," Klaus said. "I'm sure that whatever he's done, it's not as bad as all that."

"Yes, lucky for him it was not the disaster it could have been," Astrid replied. "You two sit down and we'll talk." She looked at Malachai. "Do you mind him being here for this conversation?"

"No, I don't," Malachai told her. "He can stay."

"Either of you want coffee?" Astrid asked.

They both waved the offer away and then when they were all seated, Astrid cleared her throat and gave Malachai a severe look. "Do I have to tell you why you're here?" She asked. "Or do you know?"

"Oh, I know," Malachai assured her. "I really didn't mean for my sperm to be put in that human sperm bank. It was an accident."

"Well, I just hope it was," Astrid replied. "Cause you know there's a serious penalty laid on people who purposefully do things to expose magical people to humans."

"Yes, I know," Malachai replied. "But since the baby that resulted from this last donation lives with a supernatural couple, am I really in trouble?"

"Fortunately, it was an easy thing to fix and you should get down on your knees and be grateful that all we had to do was remove the rest of your donation from that particular bank and erase any indication that it had ever been there," Astrid told him. "I'm letting you off with a warning this time, Mr. McCullough. But if it happens again, I won't hesitate to throw you in jail and give you the sentence you deserve. Do you understand me?"

"Yes," Malachai nodded. "I do. I promise. And I have a question."

"What?" Astrid asked.

"Don't ask me how, but I know the people who are the parents of my child, and neither of them are magical. Do you think…do you think I should tell them and offer to help if they need it?"

"I think you owe them that much," Astrid nodded. "Just be careful, all right? It's a delicate situation. Be kind and civil and diplomatic, and don't make it any worse than it has to be."

"I won't," Malachai assured her. "They like me. I'm sure hearing the truth won't change things all that much." Then Astrid excused them and Malachai and Klaus left her office.

"That was lucky," Malachai said when they were out of the building. "I was thinking it would be a lot worse."

"Well, that just shows how much you don't know Astrid then," Klaus told him. "Her position makes her seem intimidating, but really, she'd punish herself before she'd punish anyone else to the extent that she says."

"I hope you're right about that," Malachai told him. "Because even though I promised her I'd stop what I was doing, I can't. I'll just have to be a bit more careful in the future, won't I?"

"Yeah, mate," Klaus nodded. "I think you will if you want to get away with it. And if I can help, just let me know."


	47. A Little Overpowering

"It's not so bad," Klaus told Malachai who was at his house drinking again almost immediately telling him about what had happened with Christine and Matthew. "I know just the thing to cheer you up."

"It better be a hell of thing," Malachai replied and threw down his second beer bottle. "What is it?"

"I want to take you to a bar I know and introduce you to a very special lady," Klaus told him. "She's very friendly. I think you'll like her. But I just have to do one thing before we go." He went and called Ronan to see if Renee was at the bar and in the mood for company.

"Of course," Ronan replied. "Isn't she always? Unfortunately, she told me she's had enough of werewolves for a while."

"Well, lucky for her, I'm gonna bring her a warlock in a few minutes," Klaus replied. "Keep her at the bar, would you?"

"Sure," Ronan replied. "But don't take too much time. You've been with her. You know how short her attention span is."

"True," Klaus told him. "We'll be on our way soon." He then clapped loudly once and went back to Malachai. "All right," he said. "Let's go."

"Can't you wait until I finish my beer first?" He shook it. "See? The bottle is almost empty."

"We're going to a bar," Klaus told him "You won't be lacking for alcohol."

"All right," Malachai nodded. But he drained the rest of the beer in the bottle anyway (maybe just to prove he could) while Klaus jumped around impatiently because Renee _did_ really have a short attention span and he didn't want to go all the way to the bar with a purpose and then have that purpose be gone by the time they got there. When it was gone, he snatched the bottle away and threw it in the trash before he came back to pull Malachai to his feet. "Let's go!" He said. "We don't have much time!"

"Much time for what?" Malachai asked. "Is the bar only open for so long?"

"No, I'm setting you up with a date, but she's kind of on the unpredictable side," Klaus replied.

"Is she pretty?" Malachai wanted to know.

"Yeah, she's pretty," Klaus replied. "I think you need something to forget your troubles and she's just the girl to do it for you."

"All right," Malachai nodded. "I suppose I could give it a shot. It's better than sitting around at night and doing nothing, isn't it?"

"That's the spirit," Klaus smiled as they got in his car and headed to Roxie's.

* * *

"Well, look who's here!" Roxie yelled the second Klaus strode through the bar and sat down. "It's been some time since you've come and visited. What's up with that?"

Malachai leaned forward and smiled. "You know, he said that there was a woman here for me," he said. "Are you her?"

"No," Roxie shook her head. "I'm his daughter, Roxie. What can I get you? Anything?"

"Where'd Ronan go?" Klaus asked. "He was the one I talked to before I came here."

"Your mom came and took him away," Roxie replied. "Apparently she needed to buy him new clothes for some reason. I don't know. Whenever she talks, I tend to tune her out, even though Vince says I need to stop doing that."

"Oh, I understand," Klaus nodded earnestly. "I tune her out too. I don't blame you a bit."

"I had two beers before I came here, but…surprise me," Malachai smiled at Roxie, some of his dark hair falling into his eyes. "Would that be too much trouble?"

"No," Roxie shook her head and gave him a wink. "I'll come up with something good for you. I promise."

Klaus left his friend in his daughter's care while he went hunting for Renee, which didn't take long, as she was sitting at her usual booth, nursing a drink. He sat down next to her and she gave him a little smile. "You only get one ride," she told him. "And we've already gone around the block once. I'm past werewolves now."

"Oh, I know," Klaus nodded. "I'm happily with Amy still. But I have a friend you might be interested in. He's a warlock. Did Ronan tell you?"

"No, he didn't tell me a thing!" Renee smiled and looked intrigued. "A warlock, huh? I haven't been with many of them. This could be good! Did you bring him?"

"As a matter of fact, I did," Klaus nodded as he got up from his side of the booth and helped Renee out, taking her to the bar where Malachai was drinking the Long Island iced tea Roxie had whipped up for him. "Hey," he said, touching Malachai on his shoulder. "Here's my friend Renee."

Roxie took the drink from his had as Malachai turned around on the bar stool to give Renee an appreciative look. "Hello, Renee," he said and held out his hand. "I'm Malachai. Klaus said he was going to introduce me to a woman but he didn't say she'd be so pretty."

Klaus rolled his eyes at the common line, but Renee seemed to be receptive. "Would you buy me a drink?" She asked. "I've not met many warlocks in my life. Why don't we come over to my booth and talk about it?"

"Sure," Malachai smiled. "I'd love to." He then followed her to her booth and they began to talk.

Klaus smiled to himself about his good deed just as Christine came into the bar with Sarah in her arms and took the stool Malachai had just vacated.

"Are you okay?" Roxie asked, noticing her melancholy expression. "Wanna talk about it?"

"Matthew and I are just having some problems," Christine replied. "We found out who Sarah's father was and it's made Matthew a bit insecure. He tried to shoot him and Selina took the bullets and now he's run off, so I don't exactly know where he is."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Roxie apologized. "Who is the father?"

"I don't even want to think about it," Christine replied. But then she happened to look over at Renee's booth out of habit and there he was. "Shit!" She cried. "It's him! That guy at the booth over there smooching my mother!" She quickly put Sarah in Roxie's hands and ran toward the booth just as Klaus grabbed her hand.

"What are you so worried about?" He asked her. "Malachai is a good guy, and he's not seeing anyone. He won't do wrong by your mother."

"I hope not!" Christine told him. "I've already been through hell seeing Matthew complain about him. I don't want to get phone calls from my mother about how he let _her_ down too."

"You probably don't want to hear this suggestion from me, but…maybe you should let them try and have something before you go over there and try to stop it," Klaus suggested. "He's really just looking for a little fun and you know your mother isn't the type to go for a long-term relationship anyway, right?"

"I suppose," Christine sighed. "My god, why do all these unpleasant surprises keep popping up wherever I go?"

"I could get you a drink and we could go to another room and you can pretend it never happened," Klaus told her. "Would you like to do that?"

"Sure," Christine shrugged. "Why not? It wouldn't make things any worse." But before they did that, she headed back to the bar and took Sarah in her arms, following Klaus into another room while trying not to look at Renee and Malachai.

"I don't know why I brought Sarah with me," she told Klaus when they were seated again. "I should have just left her with Sean and Eva. Can't really get hammered like I want to if I have a kid in my care, can I?"

"I can solve that," Klaus told her. "Don't worry about it." He called Amy and said on speakerphone, "I know you probably will yell at me for asking you this, but I'm here with Elijah's daughter Christine and she needs someone to watch Sarah while she and I hang out at Roxie's. Would you mind?"

"You don't have to," Christine said. "I know it's a bit of an inconvenience to ask you right now."

"Oh, it's not a problem," Amy replied. "Mary's here with Sean anyway. One more kid wouldn't hurt." She zapped herself to the bar, and after hearing Christine's tale and giving her a hug, Amy took Sarah and said, "Just be careful. I know you want to forget things now, but you'll regret it in the morning if you overdo it."

"Yeah, I know, thanks," Christine nodded. "I'll be careful."

Amy then disappeared and despite her promise, Sarah and Klaus downed quite a few drinks together before Klaus got Christine to a room upstairs and headed home himself after offering to take Malachai with him, but was refused when Malachai decided to go home with Renee instead.

* * *

"No Malachai here?" Kol asked Victoria after he asked for an introduction to the man.

"No, but Kai's here," Victoria replied. "You could work on getting to know him until Uncle Klaus and the man you do want to meet get back from visiting Roxie's."

"I think you should do it," Margot told him. "We came all this way and I'm not leaving since we just got here."

"Oh, all right," Kol huffed and sat down. "Just where is he, anyway? I don't have all day."

"He was feeling like a challenge so he's taking both of the twins hunting alone even though I offered to come with him," Victoria replied.

"But they're just little!" Margot cried. "They can't hunt yet."

"He's only showing them how to do it," Victoria replied. They made small talk until Kai came in the door and yelled to Victoria, "I think I need a bath, Vicky. The kids and I had some fun with the neighbors. There'll be fewer of them to both us now. You wanna join me? After that, we can put the kids to bed and spend time in the playroom."

"What?" Kol asked, his eyes widening.

"Nothing," Victoria said quickly, "Never mind. And _what_ was it you said about the neighbors, Malachai?" She strode over to meet Kai while her grandparents talked among themselves.

"Don't push it," Margot warned her husband. "I remember how upset you were when you found Declan and Regina _in flagrante delicto."_

"I didn't," Kol told Margot firmly, his dark eyes burning into her blue ones. "That _never_ happened."

They sat in awkward silence and then they heard Kai say, "I know I did wrong, but you still wanna come have fun with, Vicky?"

"Sure," Victoria nodded. "Why not? Then we can talk about what you did to the neighbors."

"I swear I covered my tracks," Kai promised her. "No one will know that they're missing."

"Fine, go!" Kol called after them. "We'll watch your kids while you…you know."

"Thank you!" Victoria told him as Kai put both Finn and Molly on the floor by their grandparents and then headed off to do things Kol didn't want to think about.

"That wasn't the answer I wanted!" He shouted in reply even though they didn't hear him. Scoffing as both Finn and Molly grabbed at his pant legs, he picked Finn up and Margot told him, "Don't think about it. You'll just make yourself miserable."

"Don't tell me not to think about it!" Kol told her. "Then all I'll do is think about it _more._ " He was soon distracted though as Finn floated out of his grip and began whizzing around the room, giggling to himself.

"Oh, shit!" Kol shouted. "I thought I'd gotten done with this after Vivi! I'm too old for it! I really am!"

"Seriously?" Margot asked. "It gives you a bit of excitement. Is it really that bad?"

When they finally caught Finn, Kol put him in his swing and tied a rope around his waist, with the other side being tied to the leg of the swing set. "There," he said. "Now you'll stay grounded and I can have my blood in peace."

But when he took out his blood bag and opened it, he soon found both babies at his side staring at him expectantly.

"Well, this is uncomfortable," he remarked. "You two go away and get your own! This is _mine_!"

But Molly didn't like that and soon, her eyes were locked on her grandfather and he was trying desperately to keep a grip on the blood bag as her powers pulled it out of his hands.

"What do you want this for?" Kol asked. "You don't even have the teeth to open the bag!"

"I think there's enough in there to share," Margot said, finally taking pity on her husband when Finn turned on him too and it became two against one. She got the bag out of Kol's hands and put some in bottles for Finn and Molly and then gave Kol back what was left over.

"I was really hoping to enjoy this on my own," he sighed at the bag that was only half full before drinking from it.

"Well, sometimes you have to share," Margot told him firmly as she helped both babies consume the blood. "It's a common life lesson that everyone needs to learn, Kol. Even you. And you should be proud of them for being so powerful. Why aren't you?"

"Cause I hate being overpowered by babies!" Kol replied as he headed to the other side of the living room. "That's why!" But he loosened up a little bit when, after they had been fed, Finn crawled over to him and wanted to sit on his lap. " _Now_ you want to be friends," he said. "Okay. But only because they say keep your friends close and the extremely powerful babies closer."

Later, when Kai and Victoria came back to the living room, they found everything in order as Kol amused Finn and Margot amused Molly. "Did everything go okay here?" Victoria asked.

"Yeah, fine," Margot said, trying to keep a serious face. "No problem. You have delightful children."

'Great," Victoria smiled. "I forgot to warn you that they can get a little overpowering sometimes. I hope they weren't too much to handle."

"They weren't," Margot assured her. "And if there was a bit of a power surge, we didn't notice it at all."


	48. Adjusting To The New Girlfriend

"So, when are you going to let us meet your new lady friend?" Kai asked Malachai. "What's she like? Is she nice?"

"She's colorful, and sexy, and beautiful," Malachai replied. "But honestly, I don't know if bringing her here to meet you is the best idea."

"Why not?" Victoria wanted to know. "She's not evil, is she? Malachai, after your brush with the Council, I hope you're not getting yourself into even _more_ trouble!"

"Would you back off?" Kai snapped at her. "I'm sure it's not as bad as all that. Stop being so judgmental!"

"I'm trying not to be, but you have to think of our children and I just feel like if I'm told your uncle can't bring a woman home to meet his family, then she might not be a good person," Victoria shot back.

"Well, he's an adult and it's his choice who he wants to date, not yours," Kai told her. "Do you remember that?"

"There's no need to worry, Victoria," Malachai assured her. "I won't bring her here and risk something bad happening to the children. I can promise you that." He got up and left and Kai glared at her.

"That was nice," he told her before getting up to follow his uncle. "Really, _really_ nice."

"How can you defend him wanting to bring his drunk, unstable girlfriend around our children?" She demanded, running after Kai.

"Well, what you're implying is that he doesn't care enough about the kids to make sure they're safe," Kai told her. "And that's just…that's unreasonable and I don't like it. And how do you know his girlfriend is a drunk? He didn't say that! You're making really unreasonable assumptions."

"How is it unreasonable?" Victoria cried. "As parents, we have to put our children first, not our uncles!"

Kai slapped her then. "Don't you dare accuse me of not caring about our children," he told her. "I do, even though I'm not as perfect about it as you are."

Victoria sucked in a breath and punched Kai in the nose. Soon, they were punching and kicking and rolling around on the floor until the sound of Victoria hitting her head against Malachai's bedroom door got his attention.

"Oh, my god!" He said when he opened the door and then used his magic to separate them. "What's wrong with you two? If my being with Renee is causing you two to fight, then I _definitely_ don't think I'll be bringing her home."

"Oh, this?" Kai asked, pushing Victoria against the wall and holding her there as he looked at his uncle. "This is nothing. If you want to bring Renee here, go ahead. I know you'll make sure that she doesn't hurt the kids, right?"

"Of course not," Malachai replied earnestly. "I love the twins, Victoria, and I would die before I let anything happen to them."

"If you don't, you'll die _after_ ," Victoria threatened and then stalked off to take Finn and Molly on a walk in the hopes that it would calm her down.

* * *

To try and distract herself from the fight with Kai about Malachai's new girlfriend, Victoria busied herself with something that _would_ actually get better if she stuck her nose in it.

"Do you think we'll ever be able to get Grandpa and Kai to get along?" She asked her mother. "Or at least be able to be in the same room without wanting to kill each other?"

"Oh, I don't know," Regina replied. "But we really should work on that since it doesn't seem like he's going anywhere any time soon."

"I don't know," Victoria sighed. "He and I are fighting right now, and it might lead to us separating."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Regina replied and took her daughter's hand. "What happened? Did he cheat?"

"No," Victoria shook her head. "But you know how his uncle is living with us now?"

"Yeah," Regina nodded. "I remember that."

"Well, his uncle and Uncle Klaus are real chummy and Uncle Klaus took Malachai to Roxie's bar one night to introduce her to an old girlfriend of his in the hopes that they would become fond of each other and they have. The only problem is, she's not the most respectable or responsible of people, so the thought of her being in our house and influencing the twins just makes my skin crawl. Kai sees no problem with it, however, and insists that Malachai will put the welfare of the twins first, but when one is overcome with lust, one really isn't on the ball, and I just know that despite Malachai's best intentions, something bad will happen. Do you think I'm wrong? Do you think I'm overreacting? Tell me honestly."

"Well, up until now, have you ever had any reason to worry about having Malachai around the twins?" Regina asked her daughter.

"No," Victoria shook her head. "He's _marvelous_ with them, especially Molly. He handles her better than I do, damn it!"

"So if the problem is more the girlfriend, whom you've never actually met then with Malachai himself, I think you should at least give them a chance. Maybe have them over for dinner so you can see what their dynamic is like in a controlled situation, and then you can go from there," Regina suggested. "Is that okay? Do you feel comfortable with that?"

"Sure, I guess that would work," Victoria shrugged. "But will you and Daddy come too? Would you mind? It would make me feel so much better."

"All right," Regina nodded. "We will. Just tell us when it is, and we'll be there to support you."

* * *

"Would you and Amy do me a favor?" Malachai asked Klaus.

"Sure," Malachai nodded. "Anything. What is it?"

"This whole situation with Renee has angered Victoria and caused her to be suspicious around me," Malachai explained. "She thinks I'll let Renee be a bad influence on the children and put them in danger and all that. And perhaps to prove her point, she's decided to have some sort of dinner party with her and Kai and Renee and me, and I just…I would feel better about it if you and Amy came along. Would you do that?"

"Sure," Klaus nodded. He then called Amy, who was with Astrid at the Council, to tell her about the party.

"That sounds great, but if you're asking me to cook for it, I don't think I'll have the time," Amy said. "Things are so busy around here that between watching over you and working here, I don't have a lot of extra time."

"Oh, I wasn't asking you to cook," Klaus assured her. "I was just asking if you would be able to be my date. Malachai asked if we would come specifically."

"Well, if you put it that way, of course I'll be willing to come. I love dinner parties and I think the degree of socializing they require is good practice for you," Amy told him. "Just tell me when it is, and I'll mark it on my calendar."

"All right, love," Klaus replied. "Thank you. See you when you get home from work."

"See you," Amy replied. "And you behave yourself, okay?"

"Yes, all right," Klaus said. "I am, I promise." He got off the phone and went to assure his friend that he and Amy would be there to keep him company at the party.

"Good," Malachai nodded. "Cause I don't think I could make it through without you."

* * *

Kai was also looking around for reinforcements, and. like for Malachai, it didn't take him long to find them.

"Victoria wants us to have a stupid dinner party so she can stare at Uncle Malachai and his girlfriend and judge them all night because she suddenly has no faith in my uncle being around the kids," he told Adrian.

"Well, damn, that sucks," Adrian replied sympathetically. "What do you want _me_ to do about it?"

"Would you and Helene be in the mood to come to a dinner party?" Kai asked.

"As long as Helene doesn't have to cook for it, I think she will, but let me ask," Adrian replied. "And don't tell me I have to get dressed up because I hate that."

"Well, of course I wouldn't make you do anything you wouldn't want to do," Kai told him.

So the next time Helene came into the room, Adrian pulled her onto his lap and said, "Kai's invited me to a dinner party. Wanna be my date?"

"Sure," Helene smiled. "I've been waiting for another occasion to see you in a tux."

"Well, you'll have to wait a little longer because Kai said I didn't have to dress up this time," Adrian replied smugly.

"Kai might say it's all right for you to dress casually, but I disagree," Helene told him. "Please wear your tux. It won't be forever. Just a few hours. And it makes you look so handsome!"

"Oh, fine," Adrian huffed and let her off his lap as she smiled and kissed him. "The things I do for you, you manipulative woman."

Helene then sauntered off to pick out a dress and Adrian turned his gaze on Kai.

"Don't you look at me like that," Kai chuckled. "I said _I_ wouldn't tell you what to wear. I didn't say anything about your wife dictating your wardrobe. We both knew that was coming, though."

Adrian then rolled his eyes and went in search of Rusty, picking him up when he found him and bringing him to the closet where his tux hung. He was just about to put Rusty on the floor and let him tear the thing to pieces when Helene sneaked up behind him.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"I was just bringing Rusty to admire what wonderful work you did on this tux," Adrian said as he turned to face her. "Really."

"Do you think I believe you?" Helene asked, her arms crossed and her dark eyes narrowed.

"No, not really," Adrian replied. "Do I _have_ to wear this? It's uncomfortable and I feel absolutely ridiculous." He paused and his eyes lit up. "I have a compromise. You wanna hear it?"

"It depends," Helene replied, one eye on Rusty as he began chewing on the leg of the tux. "Is this an _actual_ compromise, or just me giving you what you want?"

"No, it's an actual compromise," Adrian replied. "What if I put on my normal clothes, but then you put a spell on them so it looked like I was wearing something nice?"

Helene thought about this. For Adrian, that really _was_ making an effort, seeing as how he hated people seeing him dressed like a gentleman. And it wasn't like he'd actually be _looking_ like an unkempt fellow.

"All right," she said at last. "That'll do for this time around, but…what is it about the tux you don't like? Is it that it makes you feel not macho to be dressed nice, or is it something to do with how it fits? If it's the second one, I'd be more than happy to adjust it."

"Well, it's a bit of both, actually," Adrian told her. "You made it a bit tight in the butt, and I suppose if you fixed that, I'd wear it without much complaint. But not this time, though. You promised to do my first idea already."

"Don't worry, we'll still go with the compromise this time," Helene told him. "And I'm sorry about your tux. It's just that you have such a nice butt that sometimes I can't help myself wanting to see it all the time, and that's best accomplished by the pants being tight!"

"And who can really blame you?" Adrian asked and kissed her until Kai poked his head in the bedroom door and said, "You remember I'm still here, right? And I saw some pizza in the fridge. Can I have it?"


	49. Dinner Gone Wrong

While Astrid was at lunch, Amy took over her desk temporarily in case anyone had questions. She was so pleased to be doing something a little different with her life than just staying home, watching Klaus, and raising his children. It was a nice change. Things were calm as she sat at the desk and ate her sandwich until Steve the intern came running in, panting loudly and nearly slamming into the desk, reaching out and grabbing the edge being the only thing that stopped his momentum.

"Are you okay?" Amy asked. "What's happened to you?"

"Nothing," Steve replied. "Just another day of watching James torture prisoners and whatever." He smirked. "Those poor saps. I'm glad I'm not one of them." But he still had a bit of fear in his eyes, presumably from watching said torture, and out of courtesy for his dignity, Amy pretended not to notice.

"What can I do for you?" She asked. "Just keep in mind that it has to be something legal."

"I was thinking that I could supplement what I learn during this internship with some new spells," Steve said. "You wouldn't happen to know where a book about how to learn time travel might be, would you? It's something I've always wanted to learn."

"It's a very complicated spell and it has two parts to it." Amy told him. "If you don't want to be locked away for messing with time (unless it's one of those weird cases where messing with it brings people together) you have to learn both of them."

"And if I say I'll do that, you'll give me the book so I can start learning?" Steve asked hopefully.

"No," Amy said firmly. "That's not really my place. Now you better go back to James before he comes and drags you back. But first-" She offered him the other half of her sandwich. "Have this if you haven't eaten."

"Thank you," he told her and took it, actually sounding grateful. He ate the sandwich and then, after taking a deep breath, strode back to James while Amy pondered whether or not to tell Astrid about Steve's interest in learning time travel spells and tried not to think of the implications of him learning to actually do it.

* * *

"It was so nice of you to agree to help Kai like this," Amy told Klaus as she put the finishing touches on the pie was she was bringing to Victoria's dinner. She was relieved to be out of the office and have something else to focus on besides Steve and time travel. "You can be a really good friend when you want to be. In fact, you've been doing a lot of good lately."

"I know!" Klaus grinned widely. "Haven't I just though? You should be really proud of me!"

"Oh, I am," Amy nodded. "And since Kai will be at the party, and I think you still have issues with him, it would be nice if you did your best to be polite to him. Or at least keep the house in one piece until we leave it."

"I'm all right with Kai now," Klaus assured Amy. "Now that I have my friend Malachai, I have no interest in his nephew whatsoever. He doesn't fill me with feelings of rage anymore."

"Well, that's good," Amy encouraged. "It's something I'm glad to hear. Cause it seems like Kai's going to be around for a long time so it doesn't do you or your brother any good to pick fights with him or about him."

"And we won't," Klaus swore. "I promise."

* * *

The dinner started out well enough with everyone chatting jovially (even Renee, although she looked a little bored.) The problem was when Victoria and Kai got up to get more wine and Kai put Molly in Malachai's lap. When they came back, Victoria gasped. Not only was Molly in _Renee's_ lap then, but her onesie was covered in liquid and it wasn't hard to figure out what that liquid was. It was alcohol that Renee was giving her from a flask.

"Give me back my baby!" Victoria snapped and snatched Molly out of Renee's lap, taking the flask out of her mouth and letting out a curse as the baby threw up all over her nice dress.

"I'm sorry," Renee apologized. "It's what I did with my daughter and Christine turned out just fine."

"You let your daughter have alcohol?" Victoria asked her eyes popping open wide. "Are you insane?"

"Well, I already had it out anyway," Renee shrugged. "Besides, she's a vampire. It's not like it really hurt her."

"How anyone thought it would be a good idea to procreate with you is beyond me!" Victoria cried irritably before stomping off to go change her clothes and Molly's.

"You watch it!" Klaus called after her. "The person who thought it would be a good idea to procreate with her was my brother!"

But that got no response and the table sat in awkward silence for a few moments before Helene quickly asked Amy a question about work at the Council and that got everyone talking again.

"I don't know about the new interns," Amy confessed to Helene. "I know your mother likes to have faith in everyone and give them chances to improve and show what they can do and all, but I really think they're trying to overstep their boundaries. Or at least one of them is."

"How?" Helene asked. "Does Mom know? Do I need to talk to her?"

"Well, perhaps it's not that bad, and maybe I should be applauding him for his initiative instead of worrying, but…he wants to take the opportunity to learn more complicated magic since he's not in school," Amy replied. "And given how he handled bringing someone back from the dead, I shudder to think what will happen if he's taught how to do the time travel spell. You know there are two parts to that spell and I can see them only utilizing the first part and completely forgetting to do the second so that time is changed. Possibly for the worse." She sighed. "Hell, I've been around longer than they have and even _I_ don't know a time travel spell."

"I'll talk to Mom about it so she can head one or all of them off at the pass if that's what they really _do_ want, or at least so she can stress to them how important using both parts of the spell is," Helene replied. "Or _you_ can, since you see her more often."

"Yeah, and like I said, I might just be worrying over nothing, who knows?" Amy shrugged.

Finally, Victoria returned to the table in a new dress with a sour look on her face, but this time, Molly wasn't with her, and despite Kai's protests, she took Finn out of his lap as well.

"I don't think it's appropriate for such small children to be at a dinner party like this," she explained when Kai took her into the kitchen so they could talk. "Especially with your uncle's alcoholic girlfriend here! Did you know she was giving Molly stuff from a _flask?_ And it made her sick, for crying out loud! _"_

"Why did we even agree to _have_ this dinner party if you're not gonna be open minded about everyone being here?" Kai wanted to know.

"I don't know!" Victoria threw up her hands. "It's not like it was my idea!" She paused. "You want to make friends with Renee, go ahead and do it. But I can't. I can't watch you let people come in and out of our house who endanger our children while you just sit back and don't give a rat's ass. Give everyone my apologies, but I'm taking the twins and going to Grandma and Grandpa's until I figure out what to do next."

"Well, when is it you plan on coming back?" Kai asked. " _That_ would be nice to know."

"Maybe I won't come back at all!" Victoria cried, making everyone feel awkward cause they could hear every word. "What would you do about that, huh?" She then made a call to Kol and asked if she could come stay with him and Margot and bring the twins with her while Kai went to face the rest of the people at the dinner.

"It doesn't sound like everything is all right in there," Malachai told him as he stood up. "Maybe Renee and I should go."

"Oh, no, don't," Kai told him quickly. "Just because Victoria's having a tantrum, we shouldn't let it spoil our good time, shall we? Does anyone want salad? And I can get some blood if people need it."

"You know what, I'll help you," Adrian got up and offered. "You only have two hands. You won't be able to carry it all yourself."

With everyone working together, the dinner party managed to turn into a civil gathering, if not a little awkward because of Victoria's exit, and Amy's pie was well-received.

After everyone was gone, Kai waited for Victoria to come back, but as day turned into night and she didn't return, he slowly realized she wasn't going to.

"I'm sorry about this," Malachai said, coming to sit next to him. "If I'd have known-"

"No, don't blame yourself," Kai replied. "Vicky said she would go into this party with an open mind and she lied. That's her fault, not ours and if she wants to stay away, then hell with her. I don't need her anyway."

"Are you sure?" Malachai asked. "Cause I could go and talk to her-"

"I don't think she'd want to hear anything you have to say since you were the one who brought Renee into our lives," Kai replied.

"I know she made a mistake, and she really feels bad about it," Malachai said. "That's why she told me that she wanted to be at her apartment alone tonight. Cause she thought that would be a good way to make amends for what happened."

"I have no problem with her," Kai replied. "I mean, sure she probably won't marry you, but she's not a bad person."

"Yep," Malachai nodded. "That's how I look at it."

"You want a drink?" Kai asked.

"Sure," Malachai nodded. "Why not?"

So Kai brought him a drink and they both marveled at how quiet the house was. "I don't know if I can handle this much quiet," Malachai said. "It makes me miss all the excitement Molly brings to this house."

"Yes, Molly is full of excitement," Kai chuckled. "And just thinking of her and Vicky together sort of makes me smile. They're not gonna last long together. A few days alone with Molly and Vicky will come running back to ask for our help."

"Or she might kill her," Malachai suggested. "Do you think she'll do that? Victoria doesn't like Molly as much as we do."

"She might be annoyed by Molly, but she wouldn't kill her," Kai assured him. "I mean, _I_ annoy Vicky too, and if _I'm_ not dead, Molly should be fine."

"I hope you're right," Malachai told him. "I really do."


	50. There Goes The Neighborhood

" _Why did we even agree to_ have _this dinner party if you're not gonna be open-minded about everyone being here?"_

 _"I don't know! It's not like it was my idea! You want to make friends with Renee, go ahead and do it. But I can't. I can't watch you let people come in and out of our house who endanger our children while you just sit back and don't give a rat's ass. Give everyone my apologies, but I'm taking the twins and going to Grandma and Grandpa's until I figure out what to do next!" What had begun as a replay of Victoria's rant to him about the twins at the dinner party then changed to something far more horrible. The image of her in Kai's mind began to twist and shift, and soon he found himself looking at his mother._

" _Figures you would end up like this, Malachai," she spat. "You start out so well, you put up a good front, but eventually the people realize just how horrible you really are and leave. Good for her. I think I like her much better now."_

" _Shut up!" Kai yelled. "You don't know anything! I can get her back. You'll see!"_

" _Good luck, you'll need it!" Edele called after him savagely, her loud, insane laughter echoing around him until he finally managed to jolt himself out of sleep._

"It's just a dream," he told himself as he looked around in the darkness. "That's all it is. Just thoughts in your head. Your mother is dead and the world is a better place because of it." He sighed. "But fuck Victoria anyway. I don't need her. In fact, now that she's gone, I can go back to reaching my full potential."

The thought cheered him up immensely, and as he went to get the paper, he saw his happy neighbors strolling around the cul-du-sac, some arm in arm or kissing one another affectionately. The sight of them being happy when he wasn't made him scoff and as Ginger the dog came and rubbed his ankle affectionately with her head, he stepped away from the door and put her under one arm while with his other hand, he shot out magic so powerful that it emitted light and force that made the entire neighborhood look like it had been hit by an atomic bomb. Even Kai's house itself was in ruins, although he and Ginger were safe. (Malachai was off at Renee's so he was safe too.) Kai then left the house and looked it over.

"Well, isn't this a mess?" He said with a chuckle as he stared at the piles of rubble, brick, and wood all around him and listened to the cries of the wounded and dying. "I wonder what happened here?" He walked around and every time he found someone who was alive, he set them alight, and soon, the neighborhood was silent.

"Look at this, Ginger," Kai said as he stroked the dog. "We have no place to live. We might as well tell Victoria. It would be polite of us, wouldn't it?" He grabbed some dead, burned flowers out of someone's garden, then zapped himself to Kol and Margot's and knocked, waiting for someone to come answer the door.

* * *

"Your husband is at the door," Kol told Victoria as he stared out the window. "Should I answer it and tell him to go away?"

"No, you don't have to do that," Victoria told him. "I'm a big girl; I can handle one psychotic husband."

"You don't understand," Kol told her. "I _want_ to answer the door and tell that son of a bitch to go away!"

"I'll tell you what," Victoria said. "If he comes back again after this, you can do whatever you want, all right? Is that fair?"

"I guess," Kol huffed and went to sit next to Margot.

Victoria opened the door and found herself face to face with her husband, who shoved the bouquet of dead flowers at her. "These are lovely," she said sarcastically and then threw them back in his face. "What the hell is wrong with you? I'm not taking you back, if that's what you've come over here thinking. And I'm not giving back either of the kids, either!"

"Oh, will you relax?" Kai told her. "That's not what I came here for. I came to tell you that there was an accident at our house this morning, so after you leave here, you're gonna have to find a new place to live."

"What do you mean?" Victoria asked, freezing. "What have you _done_?"

"Well, after you left, I realized something," he said as he pushed her aside and made his way into the house. "I realized that maybe you being gone is more of a blessing than I thought; now that you're no longer controlling everything I do, I can go back to being myself. To reveling in my true potential. Thanks for that. I owe you one, gorgeous. I couldn't stand up to my mother, but I can _definitely_ stand up to _you._ "

"How many people did you kill?" Victoria asked.

"I don't know," Kai chuckled. "The whole neighborhood is blown to pieces. Bodies everywhere! It'll probably be on the news. Think about me when you watch it." He then grabbed her and gave her one last kiss and a spank on the bottom before he left to go somewhere else.

"Oh, that _disgusting,_ " Victoria spat and scrubbed her mouth off with the back of her hand. "I can't believe I ever liked him!"

"Would this be a bad time for me to say 'I told you so'?" Kol asked.

"Yes," Margot replied. "There's never a good time for that. Victoria gets the point. Although I _do_ think it's odd that he changed so quickly. He genuinely seemed better when you were with him, sweetie."

"Well, it was all a lie to get me to love him and let him get in my pants, wasn't it?" Victoria replied bitterly. "He wasn't someone I should have liked. He was a co-dependent psychopath with mommy issues. And I think it will be better for all of us if Finn and Molly are never exposed to him again."

"I know you won't like hearing this, but may I play devil's advocate for a moment?" Margot asked.

"Sure," Victoria nodded. "Why not?"

"I think you should let him see the twins," Margot said.

"What? _Why_?" Victoria cried. "You heard him! He just blew up our whole fucking neighborhood!"

"You disappointed him and now he's acting out," Margot told her calmly. "And did you hear that crack he made about his mother? Maybe he feels like you've turned into her by not trusting him with the kids. Because you don't, right? Admit it."

"At this dinner party we had, his uncle's girlfriend let Molly drink alcohol!" Victoria cried. "Am I just supposed to condone that?"

"Well, no," Margot agreed. "But think about what you said: It was _Malachai's girlfriend_ who committed the misstep, not Kai himself. Now if it was _Kai_ that was giving the children alcohol, that would be one thing, but it wasn't. Don't you think you're being too hard on him? I mean, I understand worrying about your children's welfare cause they're just babies, but you can't expect Kai to keep tabs on everyone and make sure they stay on the straight and narrow."

Victoria sighed. "I suppose you're right," she said and ran her fingers through her hair, then went to pick up Finn, who was in Kol's lap. "I was too hard on him. I overreacted. I should apologize."

"And then you're going to go back to him?" Margot asked.

"No," Victoria shook her head. "I would have if he hadn't blown up our neighborhood, but since he did that, he exchanged one problem for another." She quickly called Kai's number and hoped his phone hadn't blown up too.

"Yes?" Kai said a few seconds later. "What is it that you want? Are you calling to apologize for treating me as unfairly as my mother did?"

"About the children and the stuff that happened at the dinner party, yes," Victoria told him. "I was too hard on you for something that I shouldn't have expected you to have control over and I'm sorry."

"Well, thanks," Kai said in surprise. "That's very big of you."

"However," Victoria continued. "That whole 'blowing up the neighborhood' thing canceled out the stuff I had to apologize for and I still need some time to deal with what happened and think about where we're going next. Do you understand?"

"Fine, whatever," Kai scoffed. "Can I at least see the twins sometimes?"

"That depends," Victoria said smartly. "Will you have a tantrum and blow them up too?"

"No," Kai told her. "I won't. Why would I hurt my own children?"

"Well, I just _hope_ you wouldn't," Victoria shot back. "I suppose I can bring them by sometimes, but I'm staying in the room for at least the first visit and I'm not bringing them anywhere near you until you have a place to live. Are you in the other dimensional house?"

"No," Kai told her. "I'm staying with Adrian and Helene until I find another place. See you with the kids in a few minutes."

* * *

"I can't believe you blew up your neighborhood," Adrian told Kai, his voice full of admiration. "That takes balls, doesn't it?"

"Not really," Kai told him. "I was just really pissed off. Would it be okay with you and Helene if Victoria brought the kids over for a bit?"

"Sure," Adrian nodded. "Why not?"

A few minutes later, Victoria arrived with the twins and, as she'd said, she stayed and watched him while he and Adrian played with them.

Soon, Adrian heard his name whispered and saw Helene motioning to him from the kitchen.

"What's going on?" She asked when he joined her. "Why is Victoria watching Kai play with the twins like a warden watching prisoners?"

"She's still mad about the alcohol incident at the party," Adrian explained. "She feels like Kai has slipped in his ability to be a responsible parent and is watching him like a hawk now."

"Oh," Helene nodded. And then to his surprise, she headed out into the living room and asked Victoria if she'd like to come to her and Adrian's bedroom and watch a movie with her. "You'll like it," she said. "I promise."

"All right," Victoria said. "I suppose one movie wouldn't hurt." She then told Kai, "You watch them carefully so they don't get into anything." With the promises of him and Adrian, she let Helene haul her away to the bedroom and then as they played with the twins, Kai said to Adrian, "You have a very smart wife. With you guys' help, we might get through this after all."

"Of course you will," Adrian told him. "That's what we're here for."

* * *

The following day, both Alistair and Klaus decided to surprise their wives at work.

"Well, this is nice!" Amy smiled as Klaus strode through her office door. "I hardly ever see you here."

"I know, I should come to visit more often," he smiled, before plunking an old photo album down in front of her. "These are old photos of me and Alistair and some other people taken…" He sucked in his breath. "Let me think: I want to say around the time you were born, but it might be later. I don't know. Sometime in the nineteenth century for sure."

Amy looked through the delicate album of old black and white photographs of men in suits and bowler hats and women in bonnets and dresses with bustles.

"You know, I don't ever think of myself living in this time anymore, but I did," she smiled. "These are nice. Thanks for letting me see them. I think I have some of my own that I want to show you too."

"Nice," Klaus smiled. "They began kissing but were interrupted by Steve again.

"Is James still frightening you?" Amy asked.

" _No_!" he said smartly. "I just thought I'd take a walk." He strode to the desk. "Cool pictures! Did you bring them so I could use them to learn the time travel spell?"

" _No_!" Amy told him, snatching the album up and putting it in a locked drawer. She and Klaus then went to lunch and once Steve was sure they were gone, he unlocked the drawer, opened the album, slipped a picture out, put it in his bag, and then, after shutting the drawer and locking it again, slipped out of Amy's office to show his friends his prize. If no one would teach them, they would learn it themselves.

 **The End**

 **This story will lead to two following stories: The sequel to this one, called "Going To Know You Again," where Klaus, Amy, Alistair, and Astrid deal with the after effects of Steve casting a successful time travel spell (or at least the first half of one), and the first in a series about Kai, Victoria, and that bunch called "Between Friends And Lovers", where Kai and Victoria deal with their separation and all the issues that come with it.**


End file.
